Despite sloppy play and turnovers, clutch performances and deep shooting propelled Michigan State past Louisville, securing their Sweet Sixteen berth.
For the 17th time under Tom Izzo—aka “Mr. March”—Michigan State is heading back to the Sweet Sixteen.
The Spartans showcased their physicality and clutch shooting in a 77–69 win over the No. 6 seed in the East Region, the Louisville Cardinals.
Michigan State will now await the winner of UCLA vs. UConn and will square off against them on Friday, March 27.
The Spartans looked far from perfect in the win over Louisville, but they came together whenever things got tough. Time and time again, different players stepped up—highlighting the depth of this roster and the belief they have in everyone wearing green and white.
The game opened with turnovers on each team’s first possession, setting the tone early. Turnovers quickly became an issue for Michigan State, committing five in the first 11 minutes. Those mistakes allowed an early 10-point Spartan lead to evaporate.
Michigan State finished with 15 turnovers compared to Louisville’s 11—something that will need to be cleaned up before the Sweet Sixteen.
Tom Izzo made his frustration clear early. After the first timeout, he said, “We gave up two offensive rebounds and they scored on both of them—and we don’t do that here.” highlighting the lack of presence from the Spartans big men.
Despite the early miscues, the Spartans were able to rebuild their lead. However, as the first half began to wind down, the sloppy play returned, allowing the Cardinals to pull within six. Michigan State entered halftime with nine turnovers but showed improvement in the second half.
At the break, the Spartans led 36–31—but it wasn’t without concern. Louisville stayed within striking distance thanks to several key statistical advantages. The Cardinals out-rebounded Michigan State on the offensive glass, held a 16–10 edge in points in the paint, and recorded four steals compared to MSU’s one. Meanwhile, the Spartans had nine turnovers to Louisville’s five.
Louisville struggled from beyond the arc early, shooting just 4-for-18 from three-point range in the first half. Meanwhile, Michigan State shot an efficient 50% (7-for-14) from deep. Still, despite Louisville’s shooting struggles, the Spartans allowed them to stay within five points at halftime due to their own mistakes.
On the game, Louisville launched 37 three-pointers, hitting 13 (35%), while Michigan State finished 11-for-26 (42%) from deep after cooling off slightly in the second half.
The second half remained a battle. Michigan State pushed its lead back to nine early, but continued turnovers allowed Louisville to claw its way back.
Even with the sloppy play, the Spartans delivered in key moments. Coen Carr led the charge with electrifying plays, while the bench provided crucial contributions. Every time Michigan State looked ready to pull away, Louisville responded with another three-pointer.
Eventually, the Spartans stretched the lead to 13 late in the second half. But the Cardinals—true to their identity as a high-volume three-point shooting team—refused to go away. They knocked down timely shots to stay within reach.
Still, no matter how much Louisville pushed, Michigan State answered. The Spartans cleaned up just enough of their mistakes and finally put a stranglehold on the game in the closing minutes.
Michigan State played tough all game—and finished even stronger. Like Tarik Skubal starting at 98 mph and finishing at 102 mph, the Spartans found another gear when it mattered most.
This was a complete team effort, with contributions coming from nearly everyone who stepped on the floor.
Despite the win, Izzo didn’t mince words postgame: “Our bigs weren’t good early. We made a bunch of boneheaded plays turning the ball over.”
But it wasn't all sour post-game, “Trey did a hell of a job coming in,” he added, praising the bench.
Coen Carr had a breakout performance on the big stage. He opened the scoring with a three-pointer and later threw down a massive alley-oop from Jeremy Fears that brought the arena to life. Carr shot with confidence all game, silencing any doubts about his offensive ability. He finished with a team-high 21 points and 10 rebounds, including two threes and a tough turnaround and-one through contact.
Jeremy Fears was the engine that kept everything running. After a strong first half with six assists, he exploded in the second half, finishing with 16 total assists on the day. That brings him to 310 on the season—just three shy of Braden Smith’s 313 in 2024–25, the second-most assists in a single season in Big Ten history. Fears also added 12 points and three rebounds. Claiming Michigan State is "Point Guard University" after the game.
Jaxon Kohler made his presence felt early. He knocked down a three and followed it up with a long jumper to help Michigan State build its early lead. While it wasn’t his most efficient shooting night, Kohler delivered in big moments and battled relentlessly on the glass. He finished with 10 points and six rebounds.
Carson Cooper added an unexpected spark from deep, knocking down a three-pointer when left wide open. The shot pushed him to 2-for-5 from beyond the arc on the season—a rare but timely contribution. While his box score may not jump out, his ability to draw defenders and impact the interior was invaluable. He finished with nine points and five rebounds.
The bench was outstanding for Michigan State.
Kur Teng came out firing, hitting his first two three-point attempts and finishing 2-for-4 from deep with seven points.
Trey Fort provided a massive spark late in the first half. He converted a three-point play and then stayed hot, knocking down back-to-back threes—both assisted by Fears. Fort finished with 12 points and five rebounds, delivering one of the most impactful bench performances of the game.
Now, Michigan State turns its attention to the Sweet Sixteen. With momentum building and contributions coming from all angles, the Spartans will prepare for whoever awaits them next on Friday.