Up-tempo Michigan State runs Washington off the court in blowout victory

Connor Earegood, The Detroit News on Jan 9, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Welcome to the Big Ten, Washington.

For the first time since conference realignment brought four Pac-12 programs into the Big Ten, the No. 16 Michigan State men’s basketball team hosted the Huskies at Breslin Center Thursday night. That introduction was largely one-sided. The Spartans (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten) romped to an 88-54 win in front of a raucous crowd.

It’s been a rough start to Big Ten membership for Washington, now 10-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play. But none of the other losses have been so lopsided as this one. Nor have they gone so awry so quickly.

The first half went like a nightmare for Washington, which made just five of its 29 first-half shots. Its first make came more than halfway through the opening frame. Even at the charity stripe, the Huskies struggled to make shots, going 3 for 8.

Part of the issue was the sheer pace with which Michigan State played. The plan all along was to run down the court to tire out Washington’s star big man, Great Osobor, but the Spartans were outrunning the guards, too. A 17-2 differential in fast-break points included a Coen Carr one-handed jam that brought the crowd to a deafening roar. A 20-10 advantage in the paint aided a 42-13 MSU lead at the half. Washington looked both tuckered out and rattled by the end of the first frame.

Among the rattled were Washington’s freshman guard, Zoom Diallo, who lost his composure around 16 minutes into the first half after Jeremy Fears Jr. drew a foul on him. Diallo got into a spat with Michigan State’s own freshman guard, Jase Richardson, and later had to be calmed by both his Washington coaches and teammates.

And there was plenty for Diallo to lose his cool at. After a nearly 2,000-mile trek across the country, his team had by that point let up a 20-point deficit, been called for a dozen personal fouls and could hardly string a couple strong possessions together against Michigan State’s physical defense.

Physically, Michigan State played like an embodiment of classic Big Ten basketball, with strong defense, committed rebounding and an emphasis on contact. As bodies slammed against the hardwood and into each other, Washington didn’t have answers against one of the Big Ten’s best.

As for Osofor, the up-tempo style did its job. The star shot 0 for 8 by the game’s end. All six of his points came at the free-throw line. Centers Szymon Zapala and Carson Cooper both did strong jobs defending him one-on-one, limiting his passing lanes with good positioning and contesting his shots.

Michigan State didn’t slow down in the second half, continuing to push in transition and pushing its lead well past 30 points. Threes kept raining down, and so did the dunks and contested layups. The Spartans kept pressing the gas in transition, running the court and only tiring Washington out even more. At one point, Michigan State led by 41 points. By the end of the game, a 34-point victory margin fell just a basket shy of the fourth-largest Big Ten win in Spartans history.

Shooting guard Jaden Akins led the Spartans with 20 points in the win, while guards Richardson, Tre Holloman and Fears all broke double digits. Cooper and forward Jaxon Kohler led on the glass with seven rebounds apiece. Fears tied a career high with 10 assists as part of his first career double-double. Tyler Harris led Washington with 14 points.

The eighth straight win propels the Spartans to 4-0 in Big Ten play, tying Michigan for first in the Big Ten. Next up is a trip to Evanston this Sunday to take on Northwestern.