But a familiar second-half scare left Izzo searching for answers and delivering a blunt assessment of his squad’s current state. 

MSU surrendered 49 points in the second half as Penn State shot 65% from the field and 67% from long range. Last Sunday, the Spartans led Northwestern by 23 on the road but allowed 40 points in the second half. The Wildcats clawed back within single digits in the final minutes before MSU claimed a 78-68 victory. 

"That means we cannot handle success right now," Izzo said. "So quit saying where we are. Because we’re not anywhere yet. We’re a good basketball team that’s got a long, long, long, long ways to go to get better."

This wasn’t the first time MSU’s defense faltered in the second half as of late. Over the last three games, the Spartans have allowed an average of 43 points after the break, erasing what had been impressive starts. Against Penn State, the Spartans seemed in control, heading into halftime with a 46-36 lead.

But as the second half unfolded, defensive breakdowns emerged, giving the Nittany Lions a chance to steal one on the road against a current Big Ten title favorite. Izzo’s postgame frustration stemmed from more than just the numbers — it was the way his team lost its edge on defense. 

Communication on switches wavered, rotations were slow and 13 second-half fouls by MSU allowed Penn State to stay within striking distance from free throws. 

"We did enough offensively. It was just defensively we didn’t do enough," Izzo said. "We either fouled or gave up wide-open shots."

Penn State — riding the energy of point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. — exploited these lapses to the tune of 65% shooting from the field in the second half. Baldwin returned from a back injury to spark his team with 13 of his 20 points after halftime. MSU’s defense gave Penn State the openings, but the Nittany Lions capitalized on most of its opportunities, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot to stay in the game.  

The Spartans’ identity has long been built on defense and rebounding, staples of Izzo’s program. Yet the inability to close out games with the same discipline and attention to detail they show early on concerned their 30-year head coach. 

Izzo loves this team. He said as much after the game, taking accountability for MSU’s dicey second half. But his affection doesn’t diminish his frustration when his squad’s performance falls short of the standard he holds them to. 

"I love my team. I love my guys," Izzo said. "Tonight, they did not play as good as they can play. And definitely, tonight, we didn’t coach as well as we can coach."

Seniors Frankie Fidler and Jaden Akins lifted the Spartans to victory on Wednesday night, scoring 17 of the team’s final 21 points as MSU and PSU traded punches down the stretch. Fidler, whose role had fallen off significantly before Wednesday, delivered his best game in green and white, scoring a season-high 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds. 

Akins chipped in with 16 points, including a critical three-point play with 29.7 seconds remaining to extend MSU’s lead from four to seven points. 

"Frankie Fidler had a hell of a game," Izzo said. "Other than that, I thought we were very pedestrian-like."

For Izzo, the victory wasn’t enough to overshadow a second half riddled with defensive errors. With a home matchup with No. 19 Illinois looming on Sunday, the Spartans’ upcoming challenge is clear. 

The in-form Fighting Illini (13-4, 5-2) have won six of their last seven contests, including a dominant 94-69 road win over Indiana on Tuesday. Illinois is the second-highest-scoring team in the Big Ten, averaging 87.3 points per game, and the conference’s best rebounding team with 45.5 per game. 

Tipoff between the Spartans and Fighting Illini is set for noon on Sunday, Jan. 19 at Breslin Center, where MSU will look to extend its win streak and stay undefeated in the Big Ten. CBS will air the game.