Michigan State hangs on in final seconds to defeat Oregon 74-70

Nov 26, 2022 - 7:15 AM

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The No. 12 Michigan State Spartans overcame a shorthanded roster and quick turnaround late Friday night (Saturday morning for the home audience back east) to outlast the Oregon Ducks in the second game of the Phil Knight Invitational. The Spartans defeated the Ducks 74-70 to set up a matchup against Portland on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Joey Hauser and Tyson Walker both posted huge performances for Michigan State, leading the team with 18 points apiece. Hauser notched a double-double with 10 rebounds to pace the team, while Walker led in assists with eight. Pierre Brooks added 15 points as well for double-digit scorers for MSU. He and Walker both had a steal and Tre Holloman added a block as well.

As for Oregon, which perhaps has an even more dire injury situation than MSU right now, Will Richardson led all scorers with 28 points while Kel’el Ware added 17.

Oregon and Michigan State finished even in the rebounding battle with 35 each, but MSU got the narrow edge in turnovers with eight to Oregon’s 10.

Michigan State struggled shooting in the first half, going just 4-of-16 from three-point range. However, that was also a heavy focus for the team as well, accounting for half of field goal attempts. Oregon also struggled from deep, matching the Spartans in 4-of-16 shooting.

The two teams were fairly evenly matched in the first half overall, both grabbing 19 rebounds (each with seven offensive and 12 defensive) and a block each. Michigan State had the narrow edge in blocks with two to Oregon’s one, and the Spartans totaled 11 assists to Oregon’s seven. MSU also had a close edge in turnovers with just three to Oregon’s five.

Michigan State drew first blood in scoring, jumping out to a 5-0 lead over the first two minutes of game action before Oregon got on the board. The Ducks were able to tie it up at 7-7 and eventually take a 10-7 lead at the first media timeout.

The Ducks were able to maintain a lead over the Spartans for much of the remaining first half, but both teams struggled for a long stretch offensively. By the next media timeout, it was just a 14-11 lead for Oregon. The Ducks finally started to pull away with a Richardson layup with 8:14 remaining to give Oregon its largest lead (eight points) of the night at that point, up 20-12.

Brooks quickly hit a three-pointer off a helper from Walker to stem the bleeding, though. Michigan State chipped away and used late momentum in the half to seize the lead back at the 2:00 mark on a three-pointer by Walker with the assist from Hauser to make it 28-27. MSU went into the locker room up 33-30.

Michigan State was unable to pull away at the start of the second half with both teams keeping it close. Oregon opened with a 6-0 run on back-to-back Richardson three-pointers to take the lead back at 36-33, but a Mady Sissoko bucket and Hauser three-pointer briefly gave MSU a 38-36 lead. The teams traded the lead back and fourth until the first media timeout with the Spartans leading 43-41.

The teams continued to struggle to get separation from one another down the next stretch. Oregon made a run to start, but Michigan State tied it back up at 48-48 on yet another three-pointer by Hauser, this one on an assist from Walker, to head into the next media timeout. Coming out of that, Oregon’s Quincy Guerrier quickly picked up a fourth foul and headed to the bench. The Spartans took advantage and managed to eke out a 56-52 lead by the next media timeout.

Coming out of the timeout, Hauser drew a charge and sent Guerrier to the bench with his fifth foul and yet another media timeout immediately followed. Michigan State was able to build its lead out to 64-57 by the final media timeout of the game with 3:57 remaining.

Oregon refused to go away in the final minutes, though. The Ducks were able to battle back and put pressure on the Spartans with a full-court press in the final minutes. After a Richardson three-pointer, Oregon was able to trap Hoggard in the corner on an inbounds and force a poor pass that led to a Rivaldo Soares layup and an and-one as he drew the foul by Hauser to make it 68-67 Michigan State with just 0:53 remaining on the clock.

MSU was able to inbound it and cross half-court without issue on its next possession, and the Ducks send A.J. Hoggard to the line. Despite a furious attempt in the final moments, Michigan State was able to pull it out in the end with a 74-70 win.