4. Defense Sets the Tone for Spartans
As we saw against the Bryant Bulldogs on Friday night, the Michigan State Spartans came out flat and looked bad for much of the first half. They trailed 7-0, and Tom Izzo was visibly upset with his team’s defense, particularly in the post. The offense never looked great, but the defense helped MSU get back into the game and limited New Mexico to just 63 points, 18 points below their season average. The Lobos were limited to three fast-break points and were primarily shut down to close the first half as the Spartans cut the deficit from nine points to just two.
