Field Level Media
Mar 2, 2021
Aaron Henry scored a game-high 22 points and Michigan State perhaps kept its slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a 64-58 win over Indiana on Tuesday in East Lansing, Mich.
Henry scored 12 straight points down the stretch, including a big 3-pointer with 2:13 remaining to extend Michigan State's lead to 56-52. From there, the Spartans (14-10, 8-10 Big Ten) were able to close the game out to pick up their fourth win in their last five games.
Henry added eight rebounds and five assists. Josh Langford scored 13 points for Michigan State, while Gabe Brown had 10 points off the bench.
Rob Phinisee led Indiana (12-13, 7-11) with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Trayce Jackson-Davis was held to a season-low nine points, ending his season-long string of 24 straight games in double figures.
Once again, Indiana was done in by poor perimeter shooting, going 32.7 percent from the floor and 10 percent (2-20) from 3-point range. The loss was Indiana's fourth straight and put another dent in the school's fading NCAA Tournament hopes.
Both teams struggled offensively in a tightly contested first half, which ended tied at 26. Indiana shot 27.6 percent from the field in the first half and went 1 of 13 from 3-point range. Michigan State, meanwhile, shot just 36.4 percent from the field in the half.
Phinisee sparked Indiana's offense with nine first-half points. The Hoosiers led by as many as six points in the first half and were up 25-20 with 1:59 left in the first half. But Michigan State closed the half with three straight baskets, tying the score at 26 on a Langford jumper with eight seconds left.
Foul trouble plagued both teams as Indiana and Michigan State combined for 19 fouls in the first half. Indiana starters Jackson-Davis, Race Thompson and Al Durham were all whistled for two fouls in the first half, while Malik Hall and Thomas Kithier were whistled for two fouls for Michigan State.
--Field Level Media