The No. 23 ranked Michigan State Spartans appeared to haave things well in hand against the Purdue Boilermakers on the hardwood on Friday night, entering the 2nd half with a comfortable 31-16 lead on the backs of a 13-0 run in the 1st half.
And then it all fell apart.
Sloppy play, missed shots, and miscommunications led to a stunning collapse. Purdue would ultimately prevail thanks to a bucket from Trevion Williams with 4.5 seconds remaining in regulation.
Spartans head coach Tom Izzo, who watched his team fail to hit a field goal for more than 12 minutes, wasn’t one to mince words following the collapse. He’s done plenty of winning during his years in East Lansing, but he considered this one of the lowest moments that he’s experienced.
“This is one of the more disappointing losses we’ve had,” he said.
Izzo then reiterated that he’s more concerned about the challenges that lay ahead for his team rather than their mental focus.
“I’m not worried about the mental makeup. I’m worried about the schedule,” Izzo said. “It doesn’t get any easier.”
Williams scored a game-high 26 points for Purdue on 9-for-14 shooting, while Michigan State was led by Aaron Henry with 13 points.
Michiagn State’s next matchup is against the No. 7 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes this Thursday.
– – Quotes via Chris Solari of The Detroit Free Press Link – –
