Photo: Marc Lebryk ~ USA TODAY Sports
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN, March 2, 2024 ~ The No. 2 ranked Purdue Boilermakers defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 80-74, Saturday night at the Mackey Complex in West Lafayette, Indiana.
The Spartans started with an early lead and maintained it throughout most of the first half. Roughly halfway through the half, Michigan State caught fire with three straight threes, two of which were made by Spartan freshman Xavier Booker.
After the hot streak, Michigan State was quickly reeled in after an 8-0 run by the Boilermakers. With a combination of late post scoring by Purdue’s Zach Edey and a three pointer by Braden Smith, the Boilermakers got out to an eight-point lead. Fortunately for the Spartans, Tyson Walker closed the scoring gap with a layup and a last second three, making it a three-point game heading into halftime.
PODCAST:
March 4, 2024 ~ The Spartans fell to No. 2 Purdue, 80-74, on the road on Saturday night, making it their third straight loss. Michigan State Head Men‘s Basketball Coach Tom Izzo talks with 760 WJR‘s Guy Gordon, Lloyd Jackson, and Steve Courtney about the tough loss, and looks forward to hosting Northwestern on Wednesday at the Breslin Center.
(CONTINUED) Entering the second half, Michigan State began to lose control. Edey continued his efficient scoring as he got the Boilermakers up 15, their biggest lead of the game. Later on, Spartans’ A.J. Hoggard scored eight straight points, lessening Purdue’s’ lead back to three points.
However, Michigan State was never able to fully close the gap. The Boilermakers had three scorers surpassing 15 points, which was ultimately too much for the Spartans to handle. Led by Edey’s contribution of 32 points, Purdue claimed their win over the Spartans.
Michigan State has now lost their third game in a row. The Spartans currently sit on the backend of the March Madness Tournament bubble. Michigan State looks to improve their resume against another Big Ten Conference opponent, Northwestern, on Wednesday at the Breslin Center for Senior Night. Coverage starts at 6 p.m. on 760 WJR.
