College Park, Maryland – Michigan State won’t have many plays from the second half on their season highlight reel.
Still, it doesn’t matter. On Sunday afternoon, the Spartans overcame Maryland 61-59 to get their first road victory of the season. They did this by putting in a great final minute performance.
Below is a selection of comments made by players and coaches following the game:
“Normally, I wouldn’t be content, but we needed a road victory right now, and after 39 years, you kind of come to the realization that an ugly win is preferable to a lovely loss. We should take some responsibility for allowing that lead to vanish the way it did, but they should also get some credit for making it unpleasant. It was an ugly victory. I’m content that we prevailed and can now go on. — Tom Izzo
“We’ve been discussing this topic all year and for the past few years as well—just finishing, the ability to finish games. despite their appearance. Needless to say, we didn’t get the shots we wanted. We had great first-half shooting, but not as great second-half shooting. If your squad wants to contend for championships, you need just figure out how to win. We make an effort to accomplish it each and every time we take the field. – Malik Hall
It only serves to highlight our development over the past several games and our continued learning from the past. We can always learn from the past because we have experienced similar circumstances in the past. We are aware of the full extent to which this victory meant to us. – A.J. Hoggard on Michigan State’s comeback victory in the last seven minutes
“They dropped one of their home games last year. At home, they are unbeatable. It was a huge victory for us to have our maiden road victory here. – Tyson Walker on Michigan State winning on the road for the first time this year
It permits us to inhale deeply. I believe that now we will all feel more confident. While we are obviously pleased with this victory, more must be obtained. If we are to accomplish our goals, we must have road victories. – Hall on Michigan State’s victory on the road
We seemed to have taken poor shots in the second half. That hasn’t happened all that frequently. “Now you understand what we mean by taking some bad shots and trying to do some on their own,” I informed my players in the locker room. – Izzo regarding his team’s second-half 26.9 percent shooting performance.
We were pretty decent after we stopped leaving him unattended. In the first half, we did a fair job of leaving him open. He is a terrific player. Kevin Willard, the coach of Maryland, on Walker, who scored 15 points
That was a classic Big Ten game from the 1990s and 2000s. I believed there was some back-and-forth grabbing. Izzo on the physicality of the game
We received a severe beating on the boards. They were more resilient than we were, and I find it really upsetting. They did an excellent job, in my opinion, on the boards. -Izzo on Michigan State dropping the 37-22 rebounding contest
“I will have to be taken out by God.” I’m not going out on my own. That’s the way it will proceed. I’m not going public. Later on, we’ll figure things out. Hoggard on playing after sustaining an arm injury in the second half of the match
“I attempted to obtain ten.” I said as I entered the game that I wanted to grab ten steals today. It was unsuccessful. -Walker, after his five thefts
