B1G Tournament Instant Recap: Spartans Suffer Early Exit, Fall to UCLA 88-84
· Yahoo Sports
Michigan State was looking to advance to the Big Ten Tournament semi-finals for the 18th time but those hopes fell apart amidst a massive defensive breakdown against UCLA.
MSU probably could have assured themselves a two-seed in the NCAA tournament with a win tonight but now may be wondering if they will fall to three line. Of at least equal concern, is how the Spartan defense that looked so strong in the first half of the season has struggled at times later in the season.
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UCLA was able to score off the dribble drive on two of their early possessions – once for an interior bucket by Trent Perry after MSU had played 27 seconds of good defense, and then a drive and kick for a Tyler Bilodeau three. Donovan Dent also got a three to bounce in for UCLA in the early going. The early going was a sign of things to come.
The Spartans countered with a four paint play from Jordan Scott and another highlight reel Jeremy Fears to Coen Carr jam after a Fears steal.
After four and half minutes, the Spartans led just 9-8. Coming out of the media break, a Carr triple with 0.1 seconds on the shot clock gave MSU a 12-8 lead but it would be rough going for Michigan State for the rest of the half.
A 6-0 run, aided by two MSU turnovers, erased the Spartans’ lead and put the Bruins up 14-12. Fears found Carson Cooper for an “Alley-Coop” to end the run but Perry scored over Scott inside to make it 16-14 UCLA with 11:41 left in the first half.
The Bruins built on that lead before the next media break. Perry hit two open threes, one of them off after another Spartan turnover, while the Spartan offense started to bog down. It was 26-20, Bruins, with 7:12 to go in the half, with UCLA shooting 63% at this point.
It continued to gradually go downhill from there for the Spartans. Eric Dailey Jr. turned a steal into a layup to make it 28-20, UCLA. After two more from Dailey Jr., Kur Teng hit a much needed three pointer for MSU but Dent answered with a long three of his own at the end of the shot clock to make it 33-23 with just under four to go in the half.
A Brandon Williams dunk put UCLA up 12 but shortly after, Tyler Bilodeau went down for the Bruins and had to be helped to the locker room with an apparent knee injury. Bilodeau did not return and the Big Ten Network mentioned he was questionable for the second half. The Bruins were able to maintain just fine without one of their stars, however.
The Spartans did start to draw some fouls on the Bruins to somewhat stay in the game. Xavier Booker picked up his second and Eric Freeny his third. Perry already had two personals. Six MSU free throws had the lead down to 38-31 but Dent answered with two more threes for UCLA.
Cooper endured a flagrant-1 with 1.5 seconds left and hit both free throws but the Spartans found themselves down by double-digits, 44-33, at halftime for the third time this season. They were 0-3 in the other games and things were not looking great as far as bucking that trend.
Just like he was last night against Rutgers, Dent was in complete control again to this point. At the break, he had 12 points and seven assists and was a perfect 3-3 on three pointers. The Bruins maintained their 63% shooting and hit 7-13 threes as MSU really struggled to close out on the three point line.
The Spartans hit four of their nine three point attempts but otherwise shot a dismal 9-28 (32% from the floor). The only real advantage Michigan State had at the half was in the fouling department. UCLA committed 12 personals, which led to MSU going 11-14 from the line, while the Bruins only had three free throw attempts after just five fouls on the Spartans.
Bilodeau walked out of the locker room after halftime under his own power but with an ice pack on his knee. He was now listed as doubtful for the rest of the game and wouldn’t return. Booker started the second half in his place.
Fears started the second half scoring with a three for MSU but Dailey had a wide open answer from the corner for UCLA. After four minutes, UCLA was still in control with a 51-39 lead.
It grew to 54-39 after a Skyy Clark three before the Spartans finally started to show some offensive life. MSU went on a 7-0 run after Clark’s triple. After two missed open threes and two offensive rebounds for UCLA, a Dailey Jr. mid range jumper ended the Spartan run.
As MSU started to find a little life on offense, they had no answers on defense. Trey Fort came off the bench and sparked MSU with five straight points but Dent answered with five of his own. Jeremy Fears also picked up his third foul with 12:17 left
Fort continued to take advantage of his opportunity and another bucket for MSU but the Spartans just couldn’t keep UCLA out of the paint. Dent added an and-one and a kick out to Clark for a three which put UCLA up 66-58.
Kohler answered with a three of his own for the Spartans and they were down just five with 9:12 left. At this point, if Michigan State could just figure out the defensive plan, they could have had a chance.
They couldn’t.
Perry hit another wide open corner three on a drive and kick from Dent. The Bruins stopped Fort at the rim at the other end and then Dent added turn-around jumper from just inside the free throw line. Suddenly UCLA was back up by double-digits at 71-61.
After it looked like two Spartans left him when he had the ball on the wing, Perry drilled another three for UCLA to put the Bruins up 75-63.
The Spartans would answer with the next five though, with a drive and jam from Carr and a three from Scott. MSU was hanging around down 75-68 with 3:08 left.
Fears picked up his fourth foul on UCLA’s next possession but the Bruins couldn’t convert the free throws. Fears then created a three point play for himself and MSU was down only four with 2:34 to go.
When the Spartans really needed a stop, they couldn’t get one as Clark hit yet another wide open corner three for UCLA to put the Bruins back up 78-71.
The Spartans had one more surge in them and after a Kur Teng three pointer hit the rim, bounced high up, and then fell through it was just 80-78, UCLA, with 43.1 seconds left.
Michigan State had one more chance to get a stop but Scott didn’t seem clear on what Tom Izzo wanted at this point in the game. Scott fouled Perry, who hit both and UCLA hit the free throws they needed the rest of the way to close it out.
UCLA almost completely reversed what the Spartans did to them in East Lansing by hitting 13-27 three pointers and shot 56% overall for the game as MSU struggled all night to prevent dribble penetration and kicks to open shooters.
Michigan State nearly matched the Bruins in hitting 11 of 23 of their threes and improved from the first half to 45% shooting overall but just couldn’t get the winning stops on defense when they needed them.
Dent led all scorers with 23 and Perry added 22 for UCLA. Fears led MSU with 21 points and 13 assists.
Now, we have to wait until Selection Sunday to learn MSU’s fate. Join us here as we’ll have an open thread for the Tournament Selection Show on Sunday afternoon.
Hopefully Spartan Hockey can get it done on the ice tomorrow night against Ohio State because this sure was disappointing.