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Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from ugly win over Indiana

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 31: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans handles the ball during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half at Breslin Center on January 31, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 31: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans handles the ball during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half at Breslin Center on January 31, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 31: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a play during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half at Breslin Center on January 31, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 31: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a play during a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the second half at Breslin Center on January 31, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

1. This team must get tougher

Not many teams can go on the road to beat Indiana in Assembly Hall with the crowd as fired up as it was on Saturday night, but the Spartans were able to lead for essentially the entire game and escape with a 63-60 win.

Must Read: MSU Basketball: Game-by-game predictions for February

The final score made it look like the Spartans were able to win a classic, tough Big Ten battle, but Tom Izzo said it best after the game: only one team showed toughness, and it wasn’t Michigan State. The Hoosiers out-rebounded, out-hustled and, for a good chunk of the final 10 minutes, out-played Michigan State.

Izzo said he can live with his team losing a game or winning a tight one if it has a poor shooting or just an off-night, but isn’t content with being out-hustled and out-toughed. Michigan State needs to fix that moving into the final stretch of the season.

Next: MSU Basketball: 5 bold predictions for February

Allowing 25 offensive rebounds and only grabbing three was embarrassing. So was getting out-rebounded 53-29. However, the Spartans found a way to win, and that’s all that matters in the Big Ten race.

If this team wants to make a run in March, though, it needs to get tougher.

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