It felt like a home game for MSU men’s basketball on Sunday night at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

As in many home games, the No. 2 Spartans got off to a slow start against No. 10 New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. MSU couldn’t capitalize on New Mexico’s poor shooting in the first half, but relied on three-pointers and free-throws to seal a 71-63 win and advance to the Sweet 16.

"Sometimes the game gets close, but I feel like we all got trust in each other to pull it out, and we just try to stay solid," senior guard Jaden Akins said postgame. "I feel like good teams find a way to win, and that’s what we did."

Here are the key takeaways from MSU’s win over New Mexico:

Three-pointers and free-throw shooting saved the game

MSU’s three-pointers were sparse but crucial — the Spartans made just four all game, shooting 15, but the three made in the second half were pivotal. Jaden Akins made the first three of the second half, the team’s second attempt, with 13:11 left, pushing the MSU lead to 44-39. Minutes earlier, MSU took its first lead of the game after trailing for 25 minutes, thanks to Carson Cooper’s free throws and a driving layup by Tre Holloman. Akins’ three sparked the momentum, and MSU never relinquished the lead.

Akins hit another three-pointer with seven minutes left in the game. After a tense six minutes of physicality, including a monumental 30-second possession that nearly resulted in an MSU turnover, Akins hit a pull-up three to give MSU a 54-51 lead. Fifteen seconds later, Frankie Fidler, a quiet hero in MSU’s win, scored an and-one layup.

"It gave us some momentum. That gave us support and a lot of confidence, and it felt good," Akins said.

MSU’s final three-pointer came from Tre Holloman, who had hit one in the first half. His shot, with 4:30 left, extended the MSU lead to 63-54, forcing New Mexico to try to come back with little time left in a game where the Lobos shot just as poorly as the Spartans. New Mexico hit a three-pointer with over a minute left to cut the deficit to seven, but MSU’s free throws sealed the game.

MSU got into the bonus with 8:35 left in the game and went 11-for-16 from the line before Jeremy Fears Jr. took the first bonus shots. Fears Jr.’s two makes gave MSU a 51-47 lead. With just over two minutes left, Coen Carr hit two free throws after New Mexico’s Nelly Junior Joseph, one of its main two-way players, fouled out. Carr’s two free throws, making it 65-58, were some of the biggest of the night.

"I came a long way with my free-throw shooting," Carr said postgame. "Coach is okay with me being in at the end of the game, so that was just an example of him trying me and me trying myself."

Jase Richardson, quiet for much of the game, made four crucial free throws, accounting for four of his six points. He didn’t score until 1:32 left, when he made all three free throws to extend the lead to 10. Seconds later, Richardson scored an and-one jumper after Fidler’s air-ball with time running out, and he converted the free throw to seal the game.

The Spartans finished the game 19-for-28 from the line, with those eight free throws proving crucial. Fears Jr. made five free throws, while Richardson and Carr each had four. Holloman, Fidler and Cooper each contributed two.

Though MSU’s free-throw and three-point shooting has been less than ideal recently, especially in a one-and-done tournament, the Spartans utilized those aspects late in the game to beat New Mexico. MSU can still improve both three-point and free-throw shooting, but what the Spartans did late Sunday was critical. 

MSU couldn’t capitalize on New Mexico’s poor shooting

The Spartans had many opportunities in the first half to take the lead but couldn’t do so until about five minutes into the second half. MSU even tied the game during the first half.

New Mexico had a few scoring droughts, including the last near-five minutes of the half. At the break, up two points, the Lobos had only scored one of its last 10 field goals and didn’t convert any in the last four minutes and 41 seconds. Even with New Mexico’s shooting struggles, the Spartans couldn’t capitalize. Frustration grew on and off the court, as MSU kept missing shots, both open and contested.

MSU finished the half 11-for-26 from the field, including a poor 1-for-9 from beyond the arc. The team missed four free throws and committed five turnovers. MSU seemed out of sync but continued firing shots.

The Spartans have turned opponents’ poor offense — and their own strong defense — into good offense, often sparking second-half comebacks, as shown in this game. But in the first half, MSU could have seized a lead but instead maintained a small deficit.

Facing Ole Miss next Friday, MSU will need to avoid another disorganized first half, or risk not regaining a lead.

Fidler, this is your moment

He didn’t lead the team in points, rebounds, or assists, but Frankie Fidler, in his first NCAA Tournament, had one of the most impressive performances of the game. Throughout the second half, he played exceptional defense on New Mexico's Mustapha Amzil, holding him to two points in the final 20 minutes.

Near the end of the game, Fidler dove for a steal, leading to an MSU bucket. He scored crucial points in a game that came down to the wire.

Fidler finished with 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting, brought down a rebound, dished an assist and had a block in 17 minutes of play. He scored his most points since Purdue and was an extremely important asset to the team against New Mexico.

"I thought he made some muscle plays," Izzo said.

All season, he’s been a role player — having standout games but mostly delivering steady performances. His role for the rest of the tournament could be as crucial as it was on Sunday.

No. 2 MSU and No. 6 Ole Miss will tip off on Friday, March 28, at 7:09 p.m. at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, in the Sweet 16.