Saturday, February 10
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
15-9,7-6Big Ten
88
vs
80
Illinois
17-6,8-4Big Ten
1
2
F
Illinois
41
39
80
Michigan St.
44
44
88
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
Four in Double Figures as Michigan State Beats No. 10 Illinois, 88-80
2/10/2024 5:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's men's basketball team put four players in double figures and used a late run to beat No. 10/12 Illinois, 88-80, in front a sold out crowd at the Breslin Center on Saturday afternoon.
Senior guard A.J. Hoggard tied his career-high with 23 points, hitting 12-of-13 shots from the free throw line, and added five assists and no turnovers.
Graduate forward Malik Hall had 22 points and five rebounds, graduate guard Tyson Walker finished with 19 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals and junior guard Jaden Akins added 10 points, six rebounds and two assists.
Records
Michigan State, winners of six of its last eight games and 11 of the last 15 overall, improves to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten, while Illinois falls to 17-6 overall and 8-4 in league play.
Recap
Michigan State hits the road for the next two games, starting on Wednesday, Feb. 14, visiting Penn State (6:30 p.m., BTN).
Senior guard A.J. Hoggard tied his career-high with 23 points, hitting 12-of-13 shots from the free throw line, and added five assists and no turnovers.
Graduate forward Malik Hall had 22 points and five rebounds, graduate guard Tyson Walker finished with 19 points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals and junior guard Jaden Akins added 10 points, six rebounds and two assists.
Records
Michigan State, winners of six of its last eight games and 11 of the last 15 overall, improves to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten, while Illinois falls to 17-6 overall and 8-4 in league play.
Recap
- Michigan State led by just three points at halftime (44-41) and the teams went back and forth over the opening nine minutes of the second half in a tense period with seven ties and 10 lead changes.
- The Spartans led 62-60 after a layup from Hall with 11:07 to play, but Luke Goode hit a 3-pointer with 10:42 left, triggering a 10-2 run over 3:04 as the Illini took a 72-64 lead on a 3-pointer from Marcus Domask with 7:38 left.
- MSU fought back, using an 8-0 run over 2:22 and tying the game at 72-all on a three-point play from Hoggard with 4:10 to play.
- Once again, the teams traded the lead with MSU and Illinois countering baskets and the visitors taking a 76-75 lead on free throws from Coleman Hawkins with 2:29 left.
- For the second-straight possession, Hall hit a basket, was fouled and converted the three-point play, this time giving MSU a 78-76 lead with 2:14 remaining.
- The Spartans had steals on the next two possessions, first from Walker leading to a layup (80-76) and then from Hoggard resulting in two free throws (82-76).
- A free throw from Hall with 1:06 left gave MSU an 83-76 lead with 1:06 left and the Spartans pushed the lead to eight points twice, first on a layup from Akins with 35 seconds left (86-78) and then on two more free throws from Hoggard with 20 seconds left (88-80)
- \Michigan State went into the break with a 44-41 lead, with Hall scoring 11 points and Hoggard 10 to lead the way.
- The teams went back and forth over the opening 20 minutes with six lead changes and five ties.
- Illinois took its biggest lead of the half, 33-25, on free throws from Dain Dainja with 5:57 left before the break.
- The Spartans responded with a 10-0 run over 1:50, taking a 35-33 lead on a 3-pointer from Akins with 3:44 left, forcing the Illini to call a timeout.
- Illinois tied the game at 35-all, but MSU took the lead back and extended it to 44-39 on a 3-pointer from Akins with 49 seconds left before going to the half ahead by three points.
- Michigan State shot 52.7 percent from the floor (29-of-55), including 57.7 percent in the first half (15-of-26).
- The Spartans went to the free throw line 34 times, connecting on 73.5 percent (25-of-34), with Hoggard hitting 12-of-13 attempts.
- Illinois had been out-rebounding teams by nearly 10 boards per game (9.8) and the teams each finished with 33 rebounds.
- MSU forced nine turnovers from Illinois (5 in the second half) and out-scored them, 13-3.
- The Spartans out-scored Illinois, 23-9, in fast break points.
- Michigan State now leads the all-time series with Illinois, 65-64, including a 41-20 record at home and a 19-8 mark at the Breslin Center.
- MSU Head Coach Tom Izzo is now 28-22 all-time against the Illini.
- Izzo now has a career record of 702-289.
- Izzo has a 340-166 career record in Big Ten games.
- Izzo coached his 506th Big Ten regular season game, extending his record for most regular season games coached in league history.
- The Spartans are 12-2 at home and have won their last eight games at the Breslin Center.
- Michigan State is 14-2 when leading at the half.
- MSU is 7-0 when shooting above 50 percent from the field (29-of-55).
- MSU is 20-6 when holding its opponent below 50 percent shooting (26-of-60).
- The Spartans are 14-2 when out-shooting their opponent (52.7% to 43.3%).
- The Spartans are 13-4 when forcing more turnovers (MSU 6, Illinois 9).
- MSU is now 3-3 in games decided by 6-10 points and 4-6 in games decided by fewer than 10.
- The Spartans hit a season-high 25 free throws and attempted 34, the second-most in a game this season.
- MSU is 8-0 when scoring 80 or more points and 13-3 when scoring at least 70.
- A.J. Hoggard scored 23 points to lead the Spartans, his 16th game in double figures this year and the 50th of his career.
- It was his first 20-point game of the season and the sixth of his career.
- He handed out a team-high five assists, leading the team for the 16th time this season and the 68th time of his career.
- Hoggard hit a season-high 12 free throws, tying a career high (at Iowa, 2/25/23).
- Hoggard now has 1,033 career points and moved past Gary Harris (2012-14) and Kevin Smith (1979-82) for 53rd place and needs 22 points to pass Marcus Sanders (1962-65) for 52nd all-time.
- Malik Hall scored 22 points, his 15th game in double figures this season and the 48th of his career.
- He has scored late last 20 points three times this season and five in his career.
- Hall has scored in double figures in 10 of the last 12 games.
- He now has 1,089 career points and moved past Goran Suton (2005-09) for 47th place and needs 11 points to pass Bill Kilgore (1970-73) for 46th all-time.
- Tyson Walker scored 19 points, his 23rd game in double figures this year and the 97th of his career.
- Dating back to last season, Walker has scored in double figures in 35-straight games, the longest streak of double-scoring games under Head Coach Tom Izzo.
- Walker now has 1,236 career points at MSU and is 32nd all-time in scoring at Michigan State … He moved past Adreian Payne (2010-14) for 32nd place and needs seven points to pass Stan Washington (1963-66) for 31st all-time.
- Walker has scored 1,916 points in 143 career games (13.4 ppg).
- Jaden Akins scored 10 points, his 17th game in double figures this year and the 30th of his career.
Michigan State hits the road for the next two games, starting on Wednesday, Feb. 14, visiting Penn State (6:30 p.m., BTN).
Team Stats
Illini
MSU
FG%
.433
.527
3FG%
.367
.625
FT%
.850
.735
RB
33
33
TO
9
6
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
12
Pts
22
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
19
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
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