Michigan State’s season keeps moving in the right direction, and Friday night brought another emphatic step forward. The fifth-ranked Spartans improved to 4-0 with a 106-72 win over Northern Iowa, a game that was lopsided on the scoreboard and a little strange everywhere else.
The biggest headline was the shooting display. Michigan State buried 18 three-pointers, the most in program history and one more than the previous mark of 17, which had been reached twice before. Seven different Spartans connected from beyond the arc, a sign of just how many weapons this roster can throw at a defense when it gets rolling.
Jasiah Jervis led the long-range barrage with five threes on the way to 20 points. Jeremy Fears Jr. added four triples in a 24-point outing, and Jordan Scott chipped in three. As a team, 63.8% of Michigan State’s shot attempts came from deep, the highest percentage the program has posted in any game during the KenPom era, which dates back to 1996-97.
“I do think we have one of our best shooting teams; I’ve said that from day one,” Tom Izzo said after the game. “I didn’t think (we were) that good a shooting team.
I mean, that start was unbelievable, and every one of them was bottom of the net. You know, there were no roll-ins and this and that.
So I was pleased about that.”
The free-flowing offense came in a game that was anything but smooth. Fouls piled up all night, and the final count reached 61 total whistles - 35 on Northern Iowa and 29 on Michigan State. Only two players, both from UNI, fouled out, but the constant stoppages made for a choppy, awkward game that dragged longer than it should have.
Michigan State’s 29 fouls also stand out in another way: the Spartans were five away from cracking the program’s top five for most fouls in a game, according to the school’s official media guide.
There was also a defensive wrinkle worth noting. Northern Iowa finished with one fewer point at Breslin Center than Duke managed against Michigan State on a neutral court, a comparison that looks a lot less flattering in this context than it might have before the game.
The Spartans’ defense was excellent against Duke, but Friday was a different story. Northern Iowa put up 44 points in the first half, and while Michigan State tightened things up after that, this was not the same level of performance the Spartans showed in their earlier defensive gem.
In Other News...
FAA Grounding Suddenly Puts One Michigan Team In A Tough Spot
The Federal Aviation Administrations grounding of flights across the U.S. has created an unexpected wrinkle for several Michigan sports teams, but Michigan State football is the one suddenly facing the most uncertainty. With Washington still in Seattle, the Spartans upcoming game against the Huskies is now in doubt, turning what should have been a routine week of preparation into a travel problem with real scheduling implications.
Around the state, other teams have already managed to get where they need to be or are sitting tight without immediate travel concerns, including the University of Michigan football and basketball teams, the Detroit Lions, Pistons and Red Wings. For Michigan State, though, the situation is more precarious because the opponents departure remains unresolved, leaving the Spartans waiting to see whether the matchup can stay on track. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Lets Another Big Ten Title Slip Away Late
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Grace Millers nine saves helped keep Purdue alive through the pressure, and the Boilermakers made the most of their chances when it mattered most. Even in defeat, Michigan State had two players recognized for their work over the weekend, with Bella Najera and Renee Watson earning spots on the All-Tournament Team. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan States Blowout Raised A Bigger Question Fans Still Feel
Michigan States 106-72 rout of Northern Iowa had the kind of offensive pop that can make a November box score look like a statement. The Spartans buried a program-record 18 three-pointers, and freshman Jasiah Jervis added another encouraging sign for the rotation with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, giving the staff a glimpse of how much scoring punch this roster can generate when the shots are falling.
Still, the blowout did not settle the most obvious question hanging over the team. The center spot remains unsettled, with Anton Bonke, Ethan Taylor and McCulloch all getting run but none separating as the clear answer yet. For a team that just flashed so much perimeter firepower, the next layer of growth may depend on whether Michigan State can find a dependable presence in the middle before the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]