MSU kept the game close throughout the second half, taking a slim lead at times. The Spartans never built on those leads though — a stark reminder that this year’s team never had the pure talent to reach a Final Four. By the end, seniors Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper left the court for the final time, waving goodbye and giving thanks to Spartan fans.

The only team in the Sweet Sixteen that started only its homegrown talent, Michigan State was a group that head coach Tom Izzo said has been special to coach.

“They showed me a lot of character,” Izzo said. “They showed me a lot of why I love them and why it's so important to me to have relationships with guys. That's the most I got out of tonight.”

In a battle of two of the nation’s best backcourts, one benefited more from its offense. UConn came out to one of its hottest starts of the season. The Huskies hit an unorthodox number of three-pointers for a team that averages 34.9% from deep. The 2025-26 Spartans didn’t look ready for the moment, and it came to punch them in the mouth as soon as the ball tipped. 

Looking to next season and beyond, Izzo said the goal is still a national championship before he retires. 

“I'm feeling good, why? They’ll talk about retirement. Why? What the hell am I gonna do?” Izzo said. The minute I don't feel good, the minute I don't feel like I'm getting my athletic director or president or school, every ounce of energy I have every day, or that energy drops — you don't have to worry about it.”

UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. finished as the game’s leading scorer, adding to a historic tournament résumé with 61 points and 45 rebounds in three games. For MSU, Cooper led the way with 14 points, followed by three others in double figures. MSU’s core four combined for 52 points, accounting for 82.5% of the team’s total. The Spartans’ bench shot 2-for-11, while Kur Teng missed three shots from beyond the arc.

All season, MSU hasn’t gotten the needed production out of its bench to win tough games. Tonight, it reared its head again due to a lack of experience in the postseason. The five players outside the core four have a combined two years of NCAA Tournament history and four minutes of game time across two games. 

“I thought they wore us down a little bit,” Izzo said. “You don't want to call out guys, but, you know, Jordan has struggled a little bit lately,”

MSU knew it had plenty of ground to make up when UConn stretched its lead to 19 ten minutes into the game. Nothing was going in for the Spartans as they started 1-for-12 from the field. UConn’s No. 9-ranked defense was as strong as advertised with a thwarting pressure in the paint.

As soon as MSU got into its groove on a 6-0 run, turnovers and poor fouls were the next roadblock on the road to back-to-back Elite Eights. 

In the first half, the Huskies hit six of nine 3-pointers, a demoralizing offensive display that proved difficult to defend. UConn’s big men, Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr., provided post pressure and the ability to drive the lane. MSU’s defenders quickly had to decide — guard the freight train coming at them or stay with their man on the wing. More often than not, UConn kicked the ball to the perimeter, where it cashed in from deep.

MSU finally looked ready to play after 16 minutes of lackadaisical play. The Spartans went on a 9-2 run to close out the half, created through ball movement and an unwillingness to fall too far behind.

The game was played in the post, where both teams preferred to get shots. MSU had a slight edge in paint points (34-30), but the damage done by the Huskies was less about the points and more about the scoreboard.

Jeremy Fears Jr. played 36 minutes in the loss with 13 points and seven assists. After the game, he said big leads can sometimes be too much to tackle. 

”At some point, you can't flip a switch or be down a lot and expect to win the game,” Fears said. “So we know we were fighting, fighting, fighting the whole game. And you know, maybe if we were neck and neck, we would have given ourselves a better chance at the end of the game.”

Izzo has said a lot about the state of college basketball this season and echoed those beliefs again this week. The transfer portal opens April 7, but he said he’s going right back to his guys.

“I got seven or eight guys coming back, I got a good recruiting class. Whether we go out and get another one or not, that'll be yet to be seen,” Izzo said. “Tomorrow, I'm going to the portal. The only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I’m going right to my freaking locker room.”