Michigan State basketball

Friday at the NCAA Tournament will open with some Spartans. Michigan State will play in the first game of the day against USC as it looks to knock off the ...

[iPhone app](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/michigan-state-spartans/id335997893) Hoggard looks to find his March peak for Michigan State](https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2023/03/with-tom-izzos-help-aj-hoggard-looks-to-find-his-march-peak-for-michigan-state.html) [Paramount+ (free trial)](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587345&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paramountplus.com%2F) [Android app](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cbs.sportsapp.android.msu&hl=en_US) The Spartans 70 NCAA Tournament wins rank sixth-most in the event’s history. 25, while Michigan State beat Wisconsin on the road on Jan. Travis Walton scored a career-high 18 points in that matchup. [FuboTV (free trial):](https://www.fubo.tv/stream/college-basketball/?bgvideo=marchm.mp4&title=Watch%20College%20Basketball%20with%20fuboTV&subinfo=Follow%20the%20Road%20to%20the%20Final&irad=454884&irmp=1810040)Stream live TV and sports with ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN & top channels without cable. [Streaming](https://www.directvnow.com/) [Streaming](https://www.spectrumtv.com/) [Streaming](https://tv.xfinity.com/) Friday at the NCAA Tournament will open with some Spartans.

Michigan State men's basketball guard Jaden Akins throws down a ferocious slam dunk during the Spartans' NCAA Tournament first round game vs. USC Trojans.

USC and Michigan State come off disappointing one-and-done conference tournament performances as they clash in Columbus in East Regional play on Friday.

While March Madness sweeps the nation, Byron Elementary School chases their own goals and dreams for March is Reading Month with a little help from MSU's ...

The hallways are decorated with basketball gear. BYRON, MI — March is Reading Month and March Madness are synonymous in the halls of Byron Elementary School. The students vote on books to advance them through a bracket.

The Spartans used stifling defense in the second half to pull away from the Trojans, 72-62, in Friday's NCAA Tournament first round matchup in Columbus, Ohio.

No. 7 seed Michigan State cruised past No. 10 seed USC on Friday in Columbus to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Spartans will play the winner of No. When the clock hit zeroes, MSU had secured a 72-62 win. After jumping out to an early 24-13 lead, Tom Izzo’s team went cold heading into halftime, allowing USC to close on a 21-10 run and hit the locker room all tied up.

Michigan State men's basketball returned to its defensive ways in a 72-62 win over USC Trojans as Tom Izzo's Spartans advance in 2023 NCAA Tournament.

Joshua Morgan scored a team-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting and five rebounds as the Trojans will look to return to the NCAA Tournament next season for ...

USC committed eight turnovers in the final period that yielded to 14 of Michigan State's 38 points in the second half. Dunks from Johnson and Morgan gave the Trojans a slight boost, but USC went scoreless for over five minutes while Michigan State built its lead to 15 points on a 13-2 run. The first half ended at a frenetic pace, as Johnson hit a 3-pointer to give USC its first lead at the 1:43 mark.

Michigan State traveled to Columbus for a first round matchup against the USC Trojans in the NCAA Tournament. It was a close game for majority of the ...

Hoggard #11 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a basket against the USC Trojans during the second half in the first round game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Hoggard #11 against the USC Trojans during the second half in the first round game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Hoggard #11 and Carson Cooper #15 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrate after a basket against the USC Trojans during the second half in the first round game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. Hoggard (11) lobs a pass over USC Trojans forward Joshua Morgan (24) during the first round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch Basketball Ncaa Men S Basketball Tournament COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 17: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks with A.J. Michigan State traveled to Columbus for a first round matchup against the USC Trojans in the NCAA Tournament. COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 17: Tyson Walker #2 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates against the USC Trojans during the second half in the first round game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. The Spartans were led by Joey Hauser (17 points). COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 17: A.J. COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 17: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts against the USC Trojans during the second half in the first round game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio. COLUMBUS, OHIO – MARCH 17: Jaden Akins #3 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a basket against the USC Trojans during the second half in the first round game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Nationwide Arena on March 17, 2023 in Columbus, Ohio.

Joey Hauser scored 17 points, one of four starters in double-figures, as Michigan State beat USC, 72-62, in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

It was rewarding in the huddles at the end to hear them talking about the defense. It coincided with the Spartans starting to have their way on offense, attacking the basket and getting to the line and then using good ball movement out of it to get 3-pointers from Hauser and Akins. "And it was rewarding to hear the guys at halftime talking about we've got to get back our defense. And much like the season, MSU’s defense went from good to bad at the end of the half. Morgan scored eight of his 10 first-half points in the final 6:22 as Peterson and Ellis combined for eight assists and nine points on 3-for-10 shooting. They held USC scoreless for a 5:01 stretch, in which the Trojans missed seven shots. The Spartans’ interior defense returned in the second half, largely due to Cooper. "So I think it got me to play a lot harder." Walker had six points in the period but none the last 11:18. Then Walker and Akins attacked the basket, and MSU went up 9-4 early. Just team defense - jumping to the ball, being on all the gaps." The Spartans will face the winner of Friday’s second game between No.

Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball open their 2023 NCAA tournament run on Friday afternoon when they take on USC. Tipoff is at 12:15 p.m. Eastern.

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Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch gives his initial thoughts on MSU's win Friday in the first round of the NCAA tourney with 3 quick takes.

It was a good example of how far both of them have come in the course of a season from when MSU could barely survive with them on the court. He created four points in the final 2:08 before halftime, including a post move baseline jumper and a screen on the break that gave Hoggard the lane for a layup. He made a good pass that had the defensive on its heels. Cooper was MSU’s best answer defensively in the second half to USC’s ball-screen offense. So few teams have a second point guard of his quality, let alone one that can shift seamlessly from shooting guard and run the show. And Malik Hall, who’s struggled and did at times Friday, made a couple important plays on both ends in the second half. But Michigan State on Friday looked the part of a team with some of the qualities it takes to make a run in March. That’s a luxury that can become a necessity in a one-and-done tournament. It was a calm, smooth and efficient few minutes from the Spartans on both ends of the court. What we saw was a season’s worth of experiences propel the Spartans to victory — from Tyson Walker running the point when A.J. Walker moved over from the 2 spot and led an 11-2 run that gave MSU some separation. MSU has blown a lead in the final two minutes.