With under two minutes left Hunter Dickinson took the pass on the block, saw yet another double coming, and passed it out to an open Kobe Bufkin, who swung it to a wide open Terrance Williams II. Had Michigan made 5/16 threes (31%) at that point, Williams was taking a dagger. Had they made 4/16 (25%), they'd have been leading. If Michigan was 3/16 (19%) on their open three-pointers in that moment it'd have been a two-point game.

Unfortunately, of the soon-to-be 17 open triple attempts by Michigan in the game's first 38 minutes, only two had found the bottom of the net.

Shot luck was the story of a sinfully ugly basketball game at Breslin, which was especially ugly in the first half. Michigan was at least getting their looks from the start. Dickinson's first two opportunities on the block became a pair of open elbows from overplayed moves towards the rim. Jett also took two open pull-up threes after kickouts unbalanced the defense. In both cases the first went in and the second did not. MSU came out trying to push the pace at the start of drives, which got them an open pull-up three by Tyson Walker. AJ Hoggard also found Mady Sissoko alone under the basket when Dickinson came up to flash off a screen, but Sissoko traveled. The teams went into the first break 5-3. It was a preview of things to come.

Out of the break, both of Michigan's freshmen had rude introductions to the Breslin Effect. Dug McDaniel airballed his first (and only) three-point attempt, then he and MSU's Tyson Walker picked up Class A technicals from referee Paul Szelc when they traded barbs after shot clock violation, which sent Tom Izzo into a screaming fit. The outburst seemed to have its intended effect. Jett Howard was tagged with his first foul away from the ball on MSU's next possession. Walker was lucky not to get his second for shoving McDaniel to the floor. Dug was not so lucky as he got himself into trouble trying to drive baseline on Walker and picked up a questionable charging call while trying to avoid going out of bounds. A similar thing happened to Jett Howard, who got tripped coming around a screen (no call), got up angry, and ran over a set Spartan for his own second foul. Michigan went into the under-8 timeout with both freshmen benched with two fouls and the score knotted at 12.

It's okay kid, everyone gets Szelced at least once in this league. [Campredon]

Without their last point guard, one of the best teams in the nation at avoiding turnovers suddenly began coughing up the ball. Joey Baker also missed three wide open triples, part of a 1/9 half for Michigan from outside the arc, none of them challenged. Michigan State used the opportunity to go on a 10-2 run, all of those points generated by Malik Hall off ball screens. With a minute left in the half the teams traded 1&1 opportunities off hand checks. Isaiah Barnes hit both of his then thunder-blocked Walker's drive with time running out.

The half could have ended there, but Jace Howard tried to check Hall away from the useless rebound opportunity that was rolling out of bounds. The foul was called, and Hall sank both free throws to give MSU a 27-18 lead going into the break.

Out of the half, Michigan State started getting junk to fall. Howard called timeout after MSU got a quick 5 points off a Hoggard pop three and a Joey Hauser open jumper off a screen. The plan out of the timeout was to get the ball to Dickinson down low, but whenever Dickinson passed out of a double the ensuing three would clang. That was if it was even attempted, as first Williams, then McDaniel, Bufkin and even Baker passed up open looks to drive into worse ones.

Dickinson also got switched onto Walker and taken to the basket. Walker's shot hit every molecule of the rim before rolling in, and MSU's lead stretched 13 at the Under 16 timeout.

This didn't go in either. [Campredon]

It was also one of the last good looks the Spartans had all half, as Michigan's inspired defense kept them in a game their atrocious shooting should have precluded them from competing in. Once again Michigan had a good play coming out of a break, with Dickinson finding Jett for the Wolverines' second made three of the night. Tarris Reed entered after that, and quickly drew four fouls on MSU bigs, three of those on the floor while driving on Sissoko. Jett found a lane through multiple defenders to cut the lead to ten, but Hoggard, who finished 6/10 from the floor and 1/1 on 3PAs, pulled up for an answer. Michigan couldn't score on a pair of possessions extended by fouls and rebounds, and Hoggard picked up a weird bounce that his center Carson Cooper had bobbled away and put in another long two to push the Spartans' lead to 42-28.

But for the shooting (other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?), the next 10 minutes were some of Michigan's most inspired of the season. Drives through traffic by Kobe Bufkin and Will Tschetter(!) chopped the lead to ten on either side of an underhanded prayer between three defenders that fell for Walker. Then Cooper, on the court for Sissoko, found himself between a driving Hunter Dickinson and the basket, and flopped, drawing a technical. Dickinson scored, and after a TV timeout Bufkin made the technical free throw. Sissoko returned, quickly committed his 4th foul on offense, and Dickinson canned a 15-footer off a pick and roll to cut MSU's lead to 7 with six minutes remaining.

Bufkin remains the season's most encouraging development. [Campredon]

Luck ran both ways for a few minutes. Tyson Walker took a stepback three that clanged short but then popped up and rolled in, and Kobe Bufkin's quick answering attempt rimmed out. But Tschetter dove for the rebound amidst several Spartan defenders, and clearly touched it last, but the officials awarded Michigan possession. MSU then left Tschetter open off a pick and roll, but his triple attempt missed as well.

Baskets at the rim by Dickinson and Bufkin trimmed the deficit to six and Izzo called timeout. Michigan got yet another stop, and Jett was fouled while driving, hitting both sides of a one-and-one. Four points.

MSU would answer, however, and Cooper fouled Dickinson on the other end. Dickinson made 1/2 to put it at 49-44 MSU.

One trip later, Dug McDaniel found Hunter Dickinson low, who drew a double, and found and open Bufkin who swung it to a more open Williams. If a Michigan jumper was ever going to go in, it had to be this one. It wasn't close.

Michigan State rebounded Williams's rushed attempt, and made all of their free throws in clock time, including two front ends in the bonus. Michigan finished 3/20 from the arc and 7/39 (18%) total on field goals away from the rim. Dickinson (a pick and roll three) and Bufkin (an uncontested dunk) scored late to keep the pressure on. Dickinson's final attempt found only air, Joey Baker fruitlessly fought for the rebound on the baseline, and Michigan State celebrated a 57-53 victory.

Except the officials wouldn't let them leave. After a lengthy review, they assessed Baker a foul and awarded MSU two superfluous free throws with 0.1 seconds remaining. Gamblers holding MSU-4.5 must have blown their gaskets as Jaden Akins made two free throws to push the final margin out to six.

Whatever you ascribe to shots falling, that was the game. Walker got a pair to prevent Michigan's big run from tying the score. Michigan got the more open looks and shot 19/55 from the floor. MSU's Joey Hauser (3/13) got a few good looks he missed as well. Normally troubled shooter AJ Hoggard couldn't miss on his pullups, and that was enough to overcome an encouragingly wide distance in play. That is, other than the actual making of shots, Mrs. Lincoln. You kinda have to make your shots.

[A box score and more photos after THE JUMP]

Didn't go. [Campredon]

Missed. [Campredon]

[Campredon]

I feel you Tom.