That's a loss that stings. Despite an ice-cold night from behind the arc, a bad night at the free throw line, only one made basket in the final six minutes, and the usual Breslin whistle (or lack thereof)... Iowa had a shot to tie or win the game against Michigan State at the end of regulation. Out of a timeout, Iowa ran a very well-designed play that used Kris Murray as a decoy and got Payton Sandfort a open three -- but the shot missed. Sandfort got another good look off a Connor McCaffery rebound -- but that shot also missed. No win, no tie, Iowa loses 63-61. There will be no shortage of regrets after this game.
There wasn't much difference between the teams in the first half -- Iowa made 13 field goals, MSU made 12; Iowa scored 4 points off 4 MIchigan State turnovers, Michigan State scored 6 points off 6 Iowa turnovers; Iowa had 17 rebounds, MSU had 18; each team had 6 fast break points; and Iowa 20 points in the paint to MSU's 18. Kris Murray and Filip Rebraca were leading the way for Iowa, with each man posting 8 points on 4/8 shooting in the opening half.
Like the first half, the second half started well for Iowa. Iowa made 4 of 5 shots to start the half to open up a 38-35 lead. Ahron Ulis had three of those made field goals, and his seven points gave Iowa a boost out of the break. Iowa's shots stopped falling quite as often after that hot start, but the Hawkeyes held onto the lead until the halfway point of the second half, when a Joey Houser 3-pointer gave MSU a 48-47 lead. There was no separation from that point -- just eight lead changes and three ties as the game devolved into a defensive slugfest.
A short jumper by Ahron Ulis gave Iowa a 57-56 lead with 6:02 to play in the game; Iowa didn't score another field goal until Connor McCaffery banked in a short jumper with 0:35 to go. In-between, Iowa missed five shots, committed a turnover and went 2/5 at the free throw line (including a miss on the front end of a one-and-one).
Iowa stayed in the game because Michigan State was barely any better -- the Spartans went 3/9 from the floor in the final six minutes, plus a turnover and a missed free throw (also the front end of a one-and-one). MSU's inability to build a lead gave Iowa a chance at the end, but the Hawkeyes weren't able to convert their opportunities at the end of the game.
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/michigan-state-63-iowa-61
RECAP
The game started very well for Iowa -- Michigan State missed its first nine shots and Iowa was able to open up a 10-0 lead in the early going. That success didn't last, though -- Iowa's offense cooled off and Michigan State began making a few shots. The Spartans cut the Iowa lead to 14-12 around the midpoint of the first half and kept hanging around; every time Iowa made a few shots to push the lead to 4-5 points, Michigan State responded with a few buckets to keep the game tight. There were five lead changes and one tie in the final five minutes of the half, with MSU narrowly emerging on top for a 30-29 lead.There wasn't much difference between the teams in the first half -- Iowa made 13 field goals, MSU made 12; Iowa scored 4 points off 4 MIchigan State turnovers, Michigan State scored 6 points off 6 Iowa turnovers; Iowa had 17 rebounds, MSU had 18; each team had 6 fast break points; and Iowa 20 points in the paint to MSU's 18. Kris Murray and Filip Rebraca were leading the way for Iowa, with each man posting 8 points on 4/8 shooting in the opening half.
Like the first half, the second half started well for Iowa. Iowa made 4 of 5 shots to start the half to open up a 38-35 lead. Ahron Ulis had three of those made field goals, and his seven points gave Iowa a boost out of the break. Iowa's shots stopped falling quite as often after that hot start, but the Hawkeyes held onto the lead until the halfway point of the second half, when a Joey Houser 3-pointer gave MSU a 48-47 lead. There was no separation from that point -- just eight lead changes and three ties as the game devolved into a defensive slugfest.
A short jumper by Ahron Ulis gave Iowa a 57-56 lead with 6:02 to play in the game; Iowa didn't score another field goal until Connor McCaffery banked in a short jumper with 0:35 to go. In-between, Iowa missed five shots, committed a turnover and went 2/5 at the free throw line (including a miss on the front end of a one-and-one).
Iowa stayed in the game because Michigan State was barely any better -- the Spartans went 3/9 from the floor in the final six minutes, plus a turnover and a missed free throw (also the front end of a one-and-one). MSU's inability to build a lead gave Iowa a chance at the end, but the Hawkeyes weren't able to convert their opportunities at the end of the game.
MORE HERE: https://iowa.rivals.com/news/michigan-state-63-iowa-61
