Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth — like a teeter-totter on a playground — MSU and Duke swayed, riding each other's momentum, talent, and physicality for two halves, for 40 minutes, for what felt like hours of hard-fought basketball.

Throughout the game, there were 12 lead changes. The final lead change came with four minutes left to play, around the same time Duke switched from man-to-man defense to zone defense. It was a scheme that the Spartans offense couldn’t handle, nonetheless score on. 

During that span — from the four-minute mark to the end of the game — MSU shot 2-for-6, failing to create offensive separation, failing to generate quality looks, failing to make shots and failing to stop a Blue Devils offense that capitalized on its consistent defense.

Duke’s zone defense was built on communication, collapsing on the ball when it was being driven and forcing MSU to take shots it normally doesn’t take — something MSU’s defense struggled to do in man-to-man coverage. Before Duke shifted into its zone, MSU found ways to create quality looks, driving to the hoop, pushing in transition and knocking down shots from beyond the arc. It was the kind of play and talent that helped MSU lead for more than 16 minutes throughout the game.

When the final whistle blew, it was MSU’s inability to break the zone that canceled out any good that the Spartans were able to produce, and the Blue Devils took advantage, stealing a victory in the earsplitting Breslin Center.

“They went zone, and we didn’t make plays,” Izzo said. “I just don’t think we did the things that we worked on. So I take full responsibility for that, and I’ll make sure that doesn't happen again, because we did not move the ball very well and did not not get the ball inside.”

The game started off with who could shoot better. That happened to be Duke. In the first eight minutes, the Blue Devils shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc, aided by a confused and misplaced Spartan defense. MSU shot 0-for-3 from the same category. The difference in the shooting display paired with a physical and fast Blue Devil team put MSU down 16-11. 

But it was a deficit that meant nothing – especially not for senior center Jaxon Kohler. Midway through the first half, Kohler came alive, but not from his typical spot in the post – instead from beyond the three point arc. 

It went like this: sophomore guard Jeremy Fears drove and drew the attention of the Blue Devil defenders, Kohler positioned himself somewhere behind the three point line, Fears passes to an open Kohler, Kohler shoots and the Breslin erupts as the ball falls through the hoop. This happened four times in the final ten minutes in the first half. The center turned into a sniper. He was a pivotal role that helped give MSU a 34-31 lead at halftime, just as Fears and his presence was, just as freshman guard Jordan Scott and his physicality was. 

Like Kohler, Scott shined in the weaning minutes of the first half. Following a Kohler three that tied the game, Scott blocked a Blue Devil layup. On the following Duke possession, he stole a pass, then physically secured an offensive rebound. Seconds later, Kholer hit another three. Anytime that Scott was on the court, the freshman played with gritty toughness and physicality that led to stubborn defense, something that lifted MSU and its fans. 

It wasn’t just his physicality or his toughness or defense, but also his offense, which came alive midway through the second half. On back to back plays, Scott found himself open from beyond the arc, hoisting and hitting two threes that gave MSU its largest lead of the game at 45-40 with just under 13-minutes left to go. After Scott hit his second shot, Duke called a timeout and went into its zone defense. 

“We’ll get better,” Izzo said. “We proved that we can play with anybody. Defensively, I think we’re an elite team, and I think we showed that. But it was just a shame that we didn't find a way to get some little things done, and it was impressive the way that Duke found a way to get the little done.”

To finish the game, both Scott and Kohler did not play perfect, but were key contributors that gave MSU a shot. Scott finished the game going 2-for-4 with six points, five rebounds, two blocks and one steal. Kohler went 5-for-11 and 4-for-6 with 14 points and seven rebounds. He only scored two points in the paint.

Making up for Kohler’s absence in the paint was senior forward Carson Cooper, who went 7-for-13 with 16 points and 16 rebounds. The career day on the biggest stage was due to Cooper's physical and demanding playstyle, catching and throwing down lobs, efficiently boxing out and finishing shots in the paint that other Spartans couldn’t finish.

It wasn’t just Cooper’s offense and rebounding that stood out, but also his defense. For most of the night, he was matched up against freshman Cameron Boozer — a future NBA lottery pick — and for most of the night, Cooper locked him down. In the first half, Boozer was held to just two points on 1-for-4 shooting. It was Cooper’s physical and agile play that limited the freshman.

Boozer would end up with 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting, grabbing 15 rebounds. His second-half turnaround helped Duke retake the lead, and his towering and bulky presence in the paint pieced together an already consistent Duke zone defense. 

“[Duke] has a guy that can go at any time,” Izzo said, referring to Boozer. “At half court, at the top of the key, on the block and can go to the hoop and score it and can go pass it. He can beat you with the pass, the dribble, the rebound and the three point shot, and there aren't many guys that we've ever played against that can do that.”

Duke still has MSU’s number, but fortunately for the Spartans, this loss comes in December and not March. Looking to get back on its feet, MSU will take a week off before playing Toledo on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 6:30 p.m. The game will be held at the Breslin Center.