Michigan State basketball takes March Madness 'punch' before knockout 2nd half

CLEVELAND — It took a minute. Or, in reality, 20.

Somewhat because of the long wait for a late tipoff. Somewhat due to nerves of the moment. Somewhat due to the start Tom Izzo felt Bryant delivered from the outset that staggered Michigan State basketball.

“I think we just came out a little flat,” freshman Jase Richardson said of the No. 7 Spartans. “We didn't come out with any energy, and they punched us in the mouth.”

For a half. And then …

They ripped rebounds. Their defense dominated. The free throws fell, as did the deep shots.

With every Coen Carr highlight, with every Jeremy Fears Jr. drive and foul drawn, with every 3-pointer from Tre Holloman and Jase Richardson and every rebound from Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper, second-seeded MSU's depth sucked the fight out of 15th-seeded Bryant in its NCAA tournament South region first-round matchup. And the Spartans did what they have all season — and what No. 2 seeds in the NCAA tournament typically do — wearing down and running away from the Bulldogs to an 87-62 victory Friday night at Rocket Arena.

Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) grabs a rebound against Bryant guard Jakai Robinson (13) during the first half of the First Round of NCAA Tournament at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, March 21, 2025.

“We knew they were gonna be physical. We didn't expect it as much in the first half,” said junior Carson Cooper, who had nine rebounds and delivered an elbow going for a rebound that drew blood from Bulldogs star Earl Timberlake’s forehead. “In the second half, we played Michigan State basketball. We did what we're supposed to do, and you kind of saw that.”

Survive the first half, thrive in the second. It has been an ongoing theme for MSU throughout the 2025 portion of its schedule.

The prize? The Spartans (28-6) face No. 10 seed New Mexico at 8:40 p.m. Sunday (TNT) for a trip to next week’s Sweet 16 in Atlanta.

They earned their fourth straight second-round appearance in hard-fought fashion.

“We've gotta do a better job, they do, but the biggest thing is the first game of the tournament,” Izzo said. “For all 27 years I've been in it, and all the Big Ten tournaments, and any other tournament I've been in, the first game is the most important. …

“I thought we got pushed around a little bit in the first half, and maybe that was me. I don't know. But we did a better job the second half.”

Carr produced career highs of 18 points and nine rebounds, with six of those coming on the offensive glass. His energy all night, but particularly late in the first half, helped MSU generate a season-high 21 offensive rebounds. That blew away the previous season high of 15, reached twice during nonconference play.

A defensive board by Rafael Pinzon gave Bryant a 17-15 rebounding advantage with 6:21 left before halftime. The Bulldogs led, 21-19, at the time. But Carr delivered a nine-point, two-rebound stretch that included a putback dunk followed by a three-point play that gave the Spartans the lead — and momentum — for good.

MSU closed the first half by grabbing 10 of the last 11 boards over the final six-plus minutes, outrebounding the Bulldogs, 39-12, over the final 26:11.

“You never know whose night it might be, and there's strength in numbers. I think that's where we're different than a lot of programs,” said Fears, who had 11 points, six assists and three rebounds. “But at the same time, Coen ignited us on offense, especially when things wasn't going our way.”

It slowly became that kind of night for everyone.

The Spartans’ 54 rebounds eclipsed the previous season high of 49 set in last Saturday's Big Ten tournament loss to Wisconsin. Their 10 3-pointers made were their second-most of the season, trailing only the 11 in a Big Ten-opening win Dec. 4 at Minnesota.

“We were getting open looks, we were getting easy buckets inside and we were getting stops,” said Richardson, who had 10 of his 15 points and two of his three 3s in the second half. “So I feel like that's when we're at our best.”

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo talks to guard Jase Richardson (11) at a timeout against Bryant during the second half of the First Round of NCAA Tournament at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, March 21, 2025.

Of the Spartans’ 31-6 advantage in second-chance points, 27 of those came after halftime. MSU also ran in transition (15-0) and saw its bench players (46 points) outscore the starters (41).

“It was a simple game plan — it was get back in transition and keep them off the glass. The hard part is actually doing that over a 40-minute game,” Bryant coach Phil Martelli Jr. said. “They were actually a little faster than I thought. Even watching them, the way they get the ball down the floor and certainly the physicality. And to be honest with you, some of the rebounds, they were just bigger than us.”

Next up is a date with New Mexico (27-7), which advanced Friday with a 75-66 win over 7-seed Marquette. For Izzo to get to a 16th Sweet 16, he said Friday, the team he saw in the second half needs to show up from the start Sunday night.

“In this tournament, as I told you, the 'my bads' or those things, they don't work. You have to trust what a coach tells you,” he said. “And you have to trust what other players tell you, because it wasn't looking real good there. … I wouldn't have liked for that thing to come down to the nitty-gritty.

“And I think our team will learn that.”

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

Subscribe to the "Spartan Speak" podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball delivered KO in March Madness opener

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