Alone at the top: Michigan State storms past Iowa to claim outright Big Ten title

Connor Earegood, The Detroit News on Mar 6, 2025

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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Of course, this is how Michigan State would clinch its outright Big Ten championship.

With a 91-84 win Thursday night at Iowa, No. 8 Michigan State guaranteed its spot atop the conference. Getting there was tricky, with a double-digit deficit in the first half, and a frustrating start to the second. But in what's been the script that has carried the Spartans on their ascent to the conference throne, depth and poise carried the day in a winning effort.

The site of Carver-Hawkeye Arena still carried a sting heading into Thursday. It’s the site of an improbable collapse two years ago that haunts the Spartans. Thursday was about a championship, but it was also about exorcising old demons.

Michigan State (25-5, 16-3 Big Ten) got out to an early 11-5 lead. Jeremy Fears Jr. led the way in transition and with his shot, while forward Jaxon Kohler added four points. Defensively, the Spartans forced misses on Iowa’s first four 3-pointers.

But once Iowa (15-15, 6-13) made a three — from the right hand of Pryce Sandfort 4:43 in — Iowa sparked a 13-2 run that took over the early going. It was a crash course in everything that makes this Hawkeyes team dangerous despite a lackluster season, with strong 3-point shooting aided by a lightning break.

Until a Jase Richardson three at 8:34 put a stop to it, Iowa’s run grew to 22-2 and its lead to 14 points as it continued to carve up Michigan State’s defense in the paint. It operated the pick and roll to devastating effect in the first half as the Spartans’ bigs watched a step behind.

Michigan State’s offense didn’t help matters. It missed 10 of 11 shots during that span, only complicating the problem. But when it did find a rhythm, Richardson made the beat. His run-breaking three was part of his 12 points in the first half. At times, he was the only pulse to the offense. It came with its sacrifices — he fell hard at the baseline and left the court in pain at 2:51. But he returned after just 45 seconds of game clock elapsed, no worse for wear as he finished a tough and-one drive.

A 37-30 halftime deficit kept the game in reach for Michigan State — familiar territory for the Spartans, having trailed by a shot or two at halftime four times in its five-game win streak. This was the largest halftime deficit it faced since trailing Oregon by 14 in early February (another game it won).

In the second half, the shots kept falling for Iowa, even from unlikely sources. Forward Seydou Traore nailed a three as part of a five-point outburst early in the half, just his eighth made triple of the season. Kohler scored five for Michigan State himself, but Iowa still held a sizeable lead. Every time the Spartans chipped forward, Iowa had an answer in the form of a three, dunk or open layup.

All this was frustrating, and it showed in Michigan State’s composure. Arguments over coverage boiled up between the guards, while the Spartans disputed foul calls, too. On one stretch with just over 12 minutes to play, Coen Carr took hard contact on a dunk with no foul called, while Tre Holloman received a foul for a similar play the other way. An irate Tom Izzo made his dispute known to the officials, with the Iowa crowd begging for a technical. No foul came, and Izzo kept pressing his case after the next timeout.

Izzo’s yelling worked. Richardson free throws and a Jaden Akins three brought the game to a single point deficit. And in textbook Michigan State fashion, a Carr energy dunk made it 58-57 with 10:17 to play as Iowa coach Fran McCaffery called timeout.

After Iowa’s Ladji Dembele took his fourth foul tripping up Fears on a run to the basket, Fears missed a free throw that could’ve tied the game. Carr rebounded the miss before dunking a lob down later in the possession. Sandfort took the lead right back with free throws, before a euro step finish from Carr put the Spartans back out in front.

Carr’s six points came as part of a 16-2 run that took the game over. Michigan State led 64-60 with 7:59 to play. After traded baskets, Akins made it a six-point lead with a three before Fears stole the ball and scored. A post move from Kohler brought the Spartans’ lead to 10 points. A three from Holloman with 3:54 made it 15. Even in Iowa, the site of that old collapse, that would be enough to win both the game and the Big Ten title.

Ten points from Josh Dix helped Iowa claw back to single digits, trailing 87-79 with 51.3 seconds to play. Iowa made it interesting down the stretch — influenced as much by history as by result. But Michigan State prevailed to take sole possession of the Big Ten title.

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