After the game, head coach Tom Izzo said this team’s togetherness will lead to its prosperity down the road.

"I'm proud of my guys. I'm proud of the guys that hung in there," Izzo said. "A lot of them could have left, and tonight they got rewarded for one night. What does that mean in the future? We'll see."

Senior forward Jaxon Kohler led all scorers with 20, followed by a career-high performance of 15 points on 3-for-7 from downtown from sophomore guard Kur Teng. His confidence, especially in the catch-and-shoot, took a big jump in a game that will emulate the toughest of matchups in March. 

Captain Jeremy Fears Jr. praised the sharpshooter for his persistence, when much hasn’t gone his way this season. After speaking postgame, Fears busted through the locker room doors and shouted, "Kur Teng, what they gonna say now?"

"He was kind of struggling shooting, which we all know. But one thing about Kur, he’s gonna work. He’s in the gym shooting every day," Fears said. "I tell him every time, just shoot the ball if you’re open, shoot the ball every time."

It was a break-out game for Teng, but the supporting cast made it possible for nearly the entire lineup to score. 

Kohler’s ability to facilitate the offense shone in New York on Tuesday. His 20 points weren’t the highlight; it was his off-ball movement and effective screens that created opportunities for the rest of the team.

A big swing in the first half came after Fears methodically brought the ball up to set up the Spartans’ half-court offense. He passed to senior Trey Fort, who took two strong dribbles to his right as Kohler came from the elbow, setting a hard screen that allowed Fort to go over the top and sink a mid-range jumper.

Fort finished with 13 points, going 3-of-8 from 3-point range for a new career high in green and white.

The two shooting guards, Fort and Teng, have battled for what has been the hardest position to fill. Tonight didn’t make it any easier, as both displayed a similar skill set of quick-release shots and improved defensive instincts. 

The Spartans’ physicality ultimately won them the game. "Rebounding U," according to Izzo, MSU grabbed 42 rebounds to Kentucky’s 28, dominating the glass for 40 minutes. Rebounds only matter as much as what a team does with the next possession, however, and MSU didn’t capitalize in transition as it has at times this season.

MSU scored eight in fast breaks to Kentucky’s 16. The Wildcats forced 13 turnovers and scored 17 points off them. Izzo said they have a lot to build on after this one, but there were many positives. 

"We turned it over a little bit more," Izzo said. "As good as we played defensively in the second half, those turnovers — some of them were for touchdowns. That was the only negative for us.

MSU will return home Friday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m. to face Detroit Mercy, with the game airing on the Big Ten Network.

Compared to a Kentucky team comprised of six transfers and six returners, MSU brought chemistry to the Big Apple and showed how this team’s physicality and grit can lead it to great places. 

Izzo said that he’s always going to try and develop his own players and promote a culture of hard work and fight for one another.

"[I want] people that are playing for the name on the front of their jersey because they know the name on the front of their jersey," Izzo said. "[I want] people that care about the place they're at and the players they're with."