A chance to extend their dominance in the rivalry instead turned into a sobering reminder of how quickly things can unravel. That reality set in when Michigan walked into the Breslin Center on January 30 and left with an 83–71 win, snapping Michigan State’s seven-game winning streak and handing Tom Izzo his first loss to the Wolverines since the 2022–23 season. It was also the first win for Dusty May’s group over Michigan State during this stretch, and Izzo did not sugarcoat what went wrong.

After the game, Izzo made it clear the loss stemmed from issues Michigan State brought on itself, compounded by moments that disrupted the game’s flow. “I’m disappointed would be an understatement. I did not like the way we played. I’ll give Michigan credit; they played well,” Izzo said.

“We’re starting to have too many turnovers by our bigs. And I never thought I’d see the day when Cooper gets two rebounds in a game, not in the first half. I’m sure they had something to do with that.”

Michigan State never fully recovered from a first half Izzo later described as disjointed and ineffective. The Spartans turned the ball over 14 times, allowing Michigan to convert those mistakes into 19 points, a gap that lingered even as MSU pushed late.

The offensive issues went beyond giveaways. Michigan State shot just 4-for-23 from three-point range, a 17 percent clip that flattened the floor and allowed Michigan’s defense to stay comfortable. Even when the Spartans surged for 45 second-half points, the margin proved too large to erase.

Jeremy Fears Jr. did everything possible to change the outcome. He finished with a season-high 31 points, carrying Michigan State during its comeback push. However, Izzo was blunt about what was missing around him.

“It’s a shame,” Izzo said. “Jeremy played as well as he could play, but just didn’t get help from enough people. Our offense, I thought, was very poor in the first half.”

Meanwhile, Michigan found balance. Yaxel Lendeborg delivered a double-double, finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds, including 14 points in the second half to halt momentum swings. His ability to make timely plays late, along with key contributions from Elliot Cadeau, allowed Michigan to steady itself whenever Michigan State threatened.

“I thought they made the plays,” Izzo said. “Yaxel made a couple of big plays late that were critical, and Cadeau made a couple of plays.”

Officiating Frustrations, But No Excuses

Still, Izzo did not limit his frustration solely to execution. A first-half Flagrant 1 foul assessed to freshman Cam Ward on Lendeborg became a flashpoint, and Izzo addressed it directly after the game. “I was disappointed in the officiating, but more disappointed in my team,” he said. “Thought there were some bizarre calls.”

The Spartans were beaten in the areas they typically control, particularly physical rebounding and decision-making from their frontcourt. Center Carson Cooper finished with just two rebounds and three turnovers, his lowest rebound total of the season.

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Although Jaxon Kohler and Coen Carr reached double figures, Michigan State never found the collective efficiency required to overcome its early deficits.

The defeat drops Michigan State to 19–3 overall and 9–2 in Big Ten play, with all three losses coming against ranked opponents. That trend is now a real concern as the Spartans head into the final stretch of the regular season.

Next up is a road test at Minnesota on Wednesday, February 4, where Michigan State enters as the favorite with a 78.9 percent win probability. The Golden Gophers bring a disciplined defense that allows 68.4 points per game, forcing Izzo’s group to tighten ball security and rediscover offensive flow quickly.

Michigan State still has nine games remaining, with six against unranked opponents. Looming matchups with Illinois, Purdue, and a rematch against Michigan will determine the Spartans’ credibility heading into March.

For Izzo, the path forward is clear. Reduce turnovers, generate a cleaner offense early, and ensure nights like Friday remain the exception, not the trend. The response begins on Wednesday.