No. 13 Michigan State Spartans Defeat Indiana Hoosiers Behind Jaxon Kohler’s Double-Double
Michigan State basketball came to Bloomington on Sunday with a chip on its shoulder and left with a sweep. The No. 13 Spartans knocked off Indiana 77-64 in a wire-to-wire victory at Assembly Hall. It was MSU’s fourth straight win.
Kur Teng Was Absolutely Unconscious From Three
If you weren’t watching Kur Teng on Sunday, you missed something special. The sophomore guard went nuclear from behind the arc, burying six 3-pointers for a career-high 18 points. Every time Indiana’s whiteout crowd at Assembly Hall tried to will a comeback into existence, Teng responded like he had a personal vendetta against their enthusiasm.
With Jordan Scott and Carson Cooper both battling foul trouble early, Teng stepped into the void and turned a potential vulnerability into a strength. That’s the kind of moment that separates good teams from dangerous ones.
Kohler and Fears Carried the Load
Jaxon Kohler came out swinging. He scored 14 points before Indiana even knew what hit them, going 4-for-4 from the floor to start and even stepping out to knock down a three. By halftime, Kohler was personally outscoring the entire Indiana team. He finished with a season-high 21 points and 13 rebounds.
Jeremy Fears Jr. was every bit as good. The redshirt sophomore posted 21 points and 9 assists, constantly making the right play and putting the Hoosiers on their heels. Every time Indiana’s crowd rose to its feet, hoping for a momentum swing, Fears had a quiet, dagger response waiting for them.
Michigan State Controlled the Game From the Opening Tip
This wasn’t a nail-biter. Michigan State opened up a 14-5 lead in the first four minutes and never looked back. The Spartans led wire to wire inside one of college basketball’s most iconic arenas.
MSU pushed the lead to 13 at multiple points, and while Indiana’s Lamar Wilkerson (29 points) and Tucker DeVries (20 points) kept fighting, the Hoosiers couldn’t get closer than eight in the final 10 minutes. Their best punch wasn’t good enough.
The Spartans made 12 three-pointers as a team and shot efficiently throughout, even navigating significant foul trouble without flinching. Little-used reserve Trey Fort even logged quality minutes when the rotation got thin. Depth won the day.
What This Means For Michigan State
Michigan State is now 24-5 overall and 14-4 in Big Ten play heading into the final two games of the regular season. They swept Indiana. They’ve also knocked off No. 8 Purdue on the road just four days earlier. This team is playing its best basketball when it matters most.
For Indiana, the situation is grim. The Hoosiers have now lost four straight and sit at 17-12 overall, 8-10 in the Big Ten. Their NCAA Tournament hopes are fading fast, and another loss could effectively put the nail in the coffin.
Michigan State Is Peaking At the Right Time
Tom Izzo-coached teams have a reputation for one thing above all else: getting better as March approaches. This group is living up to that billing. The Spartans are sharing the ball, getting contributions from multiple spots in the rotation, and playing suffocating defense when the game is on the line.
Next up, Michigan State returns home to host Rutgers on Thursday in its final home game of the regular season. If this week is any indication, the Spartans are a team no one wants to see in the tournament bracket.
