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Michigan State basketball unmotivated in ugly win over Rutgers

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 10: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans drives past Mike Williams #5 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knightsat Breslin Center on January 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 10: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans drives past Mike Williams #5 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knightsat Breslin Center on January 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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It was easily the ugliest win of the year for Michigan State, but the Spartans found a way to put Rutgers away in overtime.

Sunday’s loss to Ohio State looked to act as a wake-up call for Michigan State, but the Spartans came out flat and simply seemed unmotivated on Wednesday evening against Rutgers. Despite the four-point win in overtime, the Spartans should treat this like a loss.

Must Read: MSU Football: Way-too-early game-by-game predictions for 2018

However, college basketball can be unpredictable and anyone can beat anyone at any given time. That was the case on Wednesday as Rutgers, namely Corey Sanders, gave the Spartans a run for their money for the second time this season, but Michigan State improved to 16-2 on the season and 4-1 in conference play.

There must be more motivation come Saturday afternoon against Michigan. Rutgers may have acted as a trap game sandwiched between a tough road game against Ohio State and a rivalry contest at home versus Michigan. Classic trap, but the Spartans didn’t handle it well.

Winning close games will have to happen sooner or later and the Spartans must use this as a learning experience. They found a way to fight off an upset-hungry Rutgers team that simply wouldn’t go away even when the Spartans extended a late second-half lead to seven. You have to give it up to the Scarlet Knights who played well, but Tom Izzo’s team has work to do.

The Spartans didn’t seem like they wanted to be in Breslin Center on Wednesday and it nearly led to a massive upset. That must change before Saturday.

Michigan State didn’t shoot well (41 percent), rebound well (lost the rebound battle, 40-36) nor did it defend the Scarlet Knights’ best player, Corey Sanders — well.

Miles Bridges went scoreless in the first half, but finished with 11 points and stepped up when he needed to. However, it was Josh Jackson who hit the dagger 3-pointer with about a minute left in overtime. He finished with 12 points.

Next: MSU Basketball: Game-by-game predictions for January

It’s time for this team to step up and Saturday will be a huge test to show how much they’ve learned from these past two games. The Michigan game will go a long way in the Big Ten race.

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