IOWA CITY, Iowa – Jace Richardson scored 22 points and No. 8 Michigan State wrapped up the outright Big Ten regular-season championship with an 91-84 victory over Iowa on Thursday night.
Michigan State (25-5, 16-3) won its first conference title since 2020. The Spartans secured a share of the championship Wednesday night with Michigan’s loss to Maryland.
Down 58-48 with 12:13 left, Michigan States reeled off a 19-2 run and never trailed again on the way to its sixth consecutive victory. The Spartans scored 61 second-half points.
The Hawkeyes (15-15, 6-13) led 37-30 at halftime, taking advantage of a 22-2 run. Michigan State missed 10 of 11 shots during that run.
Jaxon Kohler and Jaden Akins each had 15 points for Michigan State. Jeremy Fears Jr., had 14 and Tre Holloman added 11.
Josh Dix led Iowa with 18 points. Payton Sandfort and Seydou Traore each had 15.
Takeaways
Michigan State: The Spartans struggled to make shots early, but stayed patient and let their defense take in the second half. Michigan State got open looks throughout the second half, especially in transition, shooting 61.3% for the half.
Iowa: The Hawkeyes had control for most of the game, but this one went like so many others this season. Since the loss of leading scorer and rebounder Owen Freeman to a hand injury in early February, Iowa has seemed outmanned in most games, leaving it in danger of missing the Big Ten Tournament.
Key moment
Michigan State’s Coen Carr had back-to-back lob dunks in the big second-half run.
Key stat
It was the 11th Big Ten title for Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, tying him with Indiana’s Bob Knight and Purdue’s Ward “Piggy” Lambert for the record.,
Up next
Michigan State hosts Michigan on Sunday. Iowa is at Nebraska on Sunday.
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