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Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from NCAA Tournament win over Minnesota

By Connor Muldowney

DES MOINES, IOWA - MARCH 23: Cassius Winston #5, Foster Loyer #3, Xavier Tillman #23 and Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrate from the bench against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
DES MOINES, IOWA - MARCH 23: Cassius Winston #5, Foster Loyer #3, Xavier Tillman #23 and Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrate from the bench against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half in the second round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena on March 23, 2019 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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After leading the entire game, Michigan State basketball advanced to its first Sweet 16 since 2014-15 after beating Minnesota. What’d we learn?

When the game began, the Spartans knew they had to show some energy to match a red-hot Minnesota team that pulled off an upset of Louisville behind some sharp-shooting in round one.

Michigan State answered the call.

In fact, the Spartans rushed out to an 11-2 lead and never looked back, pushing the lead to 20 in the first half before the Gophers chipped away and got it down to 14 at the half — but it sure felt like a 30-point lead.

The second half was more of the same as the Spartans allowed the Gophers to get within nine, but then Cassius Winston went on a one-man run, pushing it back to 16, and that was the ballgame.

The Spartans looked great, for the most part, but what else did we learn from the blowout win?

5. Michigan State nearly beat itself

The game never truly seemed to be in doubt, other than in the second half when Minnesota cut the Spartans’ lead to nine and Amir Coffey threw down a thunderous jam that got the crowd back into it. The momentum was on the Gophers’ side, but luckily the Spartans had a clutch performer in Cassius Winston to extend the lead right away.

Michigan State did almost beat itself during that Minnesota run early in the second half, turning the ball over time and time again.

Winning isn’t always pretty and if it wasn’t for the Spartans’ 22 turnovers, this game would have been a masterpiece. But those 22 mistakes nearly cost them the game with momentum all on Minnesota’s side with the crowd roaring to life.

If Michigan State wants to get to the Final Four and win a national title, it needs to cut those turnovers, at least in half, and stop beating itself.

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