Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans On SI
The No. 2-seeded Michigan State Spartans (29-6) got the help they needed from several role players who came off the bench in their 71-63 victory over the No. 10-seeded New Mexico Lobos (27-8) in Sunday’s second-round matchup of the NCAA Tournament. It was once again a full team effort from the Spartans.
The Spartans found themselves trailing by 10 in the first half, struggling to score the basketball from anywhere on the floor. They surged back to a two-point halftime deficit and outscored the Lobos by 10 in the second half with the help of 36 of the 71 points coming off the bench.
Junior guard Tre Holloman was an absolute difference maker, pouring in 14 points with four assists and three steals. Despite shooting 5-13 from the field, Holloman was integral to the win on the defensive end, helping lock up New Mexico’s leading scorer, junior guard Donovan Dent.
“We started out slow, so I was just trying to bring some juice off the bench, ” Holloman said postgame. “And then with my scoring and my defense, and just being a leader, being a point guard out there, being the captain. Trying to go out there and just play hard for my teammates.”
Senior forward Frankie Fidler had a statement tournament performance, netting 10 points on 4-7 shooting, igniting the Spartans with multiple key buckets. He was able to score a tide-turning and-1 in transition that gave the Spartans a pivotal five-point lead midway through the second half.
“It felt great,” Fidler said regarding his performance. “As a kid, you dream of these moments. … It felt good to get the win and be able to move on and continue playing.”
It does not stop there, as more of the bench came through for the Spartans. Sophomore forward Coen Carr was unstoppable for the second-straight game after recording a career-high in points (18) and rebounds (nine) against Bryant on Friday.
Carr earned another 8 points and six rebounds and went 4-4 from the free-throw line. He hit some of the clutchest, momentum-changing free throws of the game. His defensive effort was incredible as well, defending without fouling and fighting for every rebound off a Lobo missed shot.
“We felt like we [were] getting punked in the first part of the game,” Carr said. “So we just made a decision to get stops, and I think that helped us get our offense going.”
The performance from the Spartans bench was absolutely necessary. Only senior Jaden Akins would score in double figures out of the starting lineup, with the rest of the five combining for just 19 points. What makes this team great is that it can be anyone’s game on any given night.
The Spartans have advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third time since 2019. They will head to Atlanta, Georgia to take on the No. 6-seeded Ole Miss Rebels (24-11), a red-hot team that possesses head coach Chris Beard, former coach of Texas Tech when the Red Raiders beat Michigan State in the 2018 Final Four.
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