Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from overtime loss to Louisville

It wasn’t the best night for Michigan State basketball as the Spartans were unable to overcome Louisville in overtime. What’d we learn?

Sloppy, lazy and ill-prepared. Those three words could describe the first half of Michigan State’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup with Louisville on the road. That poor start cost the Spartans as they were caught playing catch-up for the remainder of the game, eventually losing in overtime, 82-78.

The game looked to be in the Spartans’ hands with just seconds remaining, but a turnover by Josh Langford — an errant pass to Kenny Goins — led to a foul and the game-tying free throws.

It’s hard to get over a game in which the Spartans gave away, but this will be a learning experience form Tom Izzo’s team. They can only get better from here and this is one that the Spartans still should have won despite being without their best perimeter defender, fouling Cassius Winston out and seeing Langford struggle mightily.

What’d we learn from the four-point defeat at KFC Yum! Center?

5. Turnovers, sloppy play were the difference

As we already touched on, Josh Langford’s turnover as the clock was ticking down in regulation and the Spartans up by one was arguably the difference. If the Spartans hang on to the ball, they extend the lead to three with a couple of free throws and force the Cardinals to try and tie things up with a low-percentage 3-pointer.

It wasn’t just that one instance, though, as Michigan State seemingly had eight turnovers by the second media timeout in the first half. The Spartans finished with 17 to just 14 assists and couldn’t stay out of their own way when they had momentum late in the second half.

Every time Michigan State had a one-point lead, they couldn’t seem to extend on it, making a mistake with a sloppy turnover, lazy pass or offensive foul. That’s not going to work against better teams.