1. The shot that might have won the Big Ten for MSU and a game that was a thing of beauty
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – That’s how you make amends for a bad turnover, Tre Holloman. Holy Smokes. Holloman's buzzer-beating half-court shot to beat Maryland on Wednesday night will go down in Michigan State basketball lore as one of the great moments and consequential shots this program has seen. And it’s seen a few. When you’re tied atop the Big Ten standings in late February, playing on the road against a Maryland team that looks the part, style points don’t mean much. Winning is everything. And to that end, MSU's 58-55 win over the Terrapins on Wednesday night was a work of art. Right down to Holloman’s beyond-half-court heave. The rest of the final minute (or the two minutes before, for that matter) was not something MSU should repeat. Holloman’s lofted pass in the direction of Jaden Akins, which was picked off and led to two Maryland free throws, tying the game 55-55, looked like the headline of a collapse in a game the Spartans led 55-48 with 3 minutes to play and 52-43 a couple minutes earlier. But there are no apologies in Big Ten basketball in February. Not when the team you’re competing against at the top of the standings — Michigan — keeps winning close games and won one just this ugly a couple nights earlier. MSU (14-3 Big Ten) controlled its path to a Big Ten title before this. Now the Spartans are truly in the driver’s seat. This was a massive hurdle to overcome, a game that would have been an understandable stumble. MSU has another difficult one just ahead when Wisconsin visits on Sunday. Then Iowa on the road, before the rematch with the Wolverines at Breslin on March 9. But the Spartans can taste it now. Every season needs some luck. MSU got some Wednesday, but also put themselves in a position for Holloman’s shot to deliver another road win. “We made a couple of bonehead plays, but I felt we deserved to win the game,” Tom Izzo said. “I don't think it was a lucky shot at the end. I thought we played inspired basketball, good defense and we moved the ball.” Even Holloman’s shot was something MSU rehearses regularly — with each player taking one half-court shot at the beginning of their practice the day before home games. And he's made the last two he's attempted. As soon as the players reached the locker room, they pulled out their phones to watch the replay. They couldn't get enough of it. Before the shot, Wednesday's win took a ton of grit defensively and on the glass, where MSU controlled the game, winning 45-33 overall and 13-4 on the offensive end, led by Jase Richardson and Jaxon Kohler with eight rebounds apiece and Syzmon Zapala with six. The Spartans outscored Maryland in the paint, 28-16, against a team whose two big guys average close to 30 points per game. Maryland’s Derik Queen and Julien Reese totaled 17 points and made just 4 of 18 shots. The Terrapins' shooters didn’t fare any better, going 4-for-20 from beyond the arc. MSU was only 4-for-15 from deep, but that fourth 3, well, no one will forget it.
2. More promising signs for Richardson
Among the tells that a player is a star is whether they stand out even when the shots aren’t falling, whether they’re a noticeable problem for the opponent every time they have the ball. Jase Richardson was that Wednesday night. Long before Richardson got to 15 points and made a number of important buckets (and rebounds), he again looked like a headliner out there. He created separation off the dribble, aggressively looked for his shot and attacked like a guy who knows his team needs him to be a bucket-getter. That’s a change from the player a month ago who played efficiently and smoothly, but just fit in. Richardson’s understanding of his role is what’s changed as much as anything. That and his teammates’ understanding of his role. He finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, hitting 6 of 14 shots. It was an average night for an emerging star. But he is that.
3. Take note, MSU’s players are holding each other accountable
If you want to see why this MSU team is winning the way it is on the road — at Illinois, Michigan and now Maryland — and why they can survive shooting less than 20% on 3-point tries, watch them interact with each other these days after one of them makes a mistake. There is instant accountability. For example, in the second half, when Frankie Fidler appeared to miss a coverage that allowed for a Maryland 3-pointer and then, on the other end, quickly drew a foul while shooting, I don’t think Fidler had landed when his teammates surrounded him and Jaden Akins began pointing out the mishap on the other end. By the time Izzo had time to berate Fidler, it had been handled. These guys don’t need Izzo’s bite, they’ve got each other. You can see how much this matters to them, Akins on down. It’s little things — the looks and demonstrative points made in on-court huddles, it’s Carson Cooper telling Jase Richardson not to make a pass too early after Fidler’s foot was on the line when he caught it when he was supposed to be on the move. These conversations are constant. It doesn’t matter who you are — if you mess up, especially on the defensive end, that’s going to be corrected immediately. “Early on (this season), we were scared to lead,” Tre Holloman said. We were shy because we're a new team. But now, people are listening to each other.” Izzo talks about leadership being player-coached teams. This has become one. That’s why they are where they are, closing in on an unexpected Big Ten championship.
Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and on BlueSky @GrahamCouch.
