But this challenge felt different — Ole Miss came at the Spartans with relentless pressure and stuck to its script, a patient, disciplined approach with physicality at every position. 

MSU’s resolve was tested from the opening tip, with easy buckets scarce and nearly every shot contested.

"That team was the toughest, most physical defensive team we’ve played in years," MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo said postgame. 

Yet, for all the ways the Rebels pressed, switched, disrupted and wore down MSU early on, the Spartans ultimately did what they’ve done so often this season — endured and outlasted. 

MSU trailed by as much as 10 points in the first half, turned the ball over six times in the opening 12 minutes and looked uncomfortable against a defensive scheme designed to frustrate. The Spartans used their collective toughness — physical and mental — to chip away, pulling within two points by halftime and controlling the decisive moments late in a 73-70 win Friday night that sent MSU to the Elite Eight for the first time in six seasons. 

It was a performance emblematic of a team that may bend but rarely breaks — a sturdiness now defining MSU’s NCAA Tournament run.

"We’re a resilient group," senior guard Jaden Akins said. "We never quit on the game until zeroes on the clock and we play to the end. I feel like we’re just confirming it more and more every game."

The Spartans had done it against Bryant, turning a tense first half into a comfortable win. They repeated the pattern against New Mexico, surviving a physical battle by owning the late stages. Against Ole Miss, a team built similarly on toughness and discipline, the challenge was elevated. Each possession, each loose ball, felt magnified. 

MSU didn’t flinch. 

"It just shows how our team can stay in it, stay with it, not get bored with it or anything, and just stay the course," sophomore forward Coen Carr said. 

When the Rebels mounted a 22-14 lead midway through the first half without lead senior guard Sean Pedulla, who had two fouls, the Spartans steadied themselves. Carr, playing in his hometown of Atlanta, hit a pair of buckets, one from deep. MSU cut the double-digit deficit to two by halftime.

"I love these guys because they keep grinding and kept grinding," Izzo said. "Getting close before half was very critical."

By the time MSU seized its first lead of the game, 51-50 with just under eight minutes remaining, it was clear that Ole Miss had lost its grip on the game, with fatigue evident in every defensive possession. The Spartans recognized it and attacked.

"At halftime, we felt like we could drive the ball a little bit more," Izzo said. "Tre (Holloman) drove it. (Carr and Jaden Akins) drove it. (Richardson) made some big shots. Coen (Carr), a couple of big blocks. (Akins) made a big three and then those free throws at the end."

Freshman guard Jase Richardson led the charge, scoring a team-high 20 points. Carr, whose energy in his first career start — in his hometown, no less — pressured a tiring Rebels defense, finished with 15 points, including a highlight dunk that swung momentum back in MSU’s favor. 

Pedulla, who finished with 24 points, pushed MSU’s defense to its limit, repeatedly hitting contested threes and tough buckets inside the arc. Each time the Rebels seemed ready to retake control, the Spartans countered. Akins, who scored 13 points, provided veteran poise with a driving bucket to break the tie and a pair of clutch free throws inside the final two minutes.

MSU had to rely on its mental resolve and adaptability rather than its usual winning on the boards. The Spartans, who entered Friday ranked No. 2 nationally in rebounding margin, were outrebounded 33-29 by the No. 293-ranked Rebels, including surrendering 12 offensive rebounds that led to 13 second-chance points. 

But the Spartans leaned on their other strengths — balance, depth and timely execution — to overcome the unexpected glass deficit. MSU improved to 27-1 this season when scoring at least 70 points and shot 19-for-22 (86%) from the free-throw line, making all six attempts in the game’s final minute. 

The win, and MSU’s entire NCAA Tournament run to this point, highlighted a team built to handle adversity. Friday night was a familiar blueprint in a critical moment — the Spartans trusting their balance, depth and composure to slowly but surely regain control. As Holloman sank four straight free throws inside 30 seconds remaining, the Spartans had once again turned a halftime deficit into a statement about who they are. 

"We’ve been trailing at halftime a lot of times this season and end up turning the switch in the second half," Akins said. "I feel like that shows a lot of mental toughness."

Now, MSU’s cerebral fortitude will meet its most significant test yet — No. 1 seed Auburn in Sunday’s Elite Eight, just one win away from Izzo’s ninth Final Four and the program’s first since 2019.