Michigan State Basketball: 3 takeaways from embarrassing Purdue loss

Jan 8, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Malik Hall (25) during the first half as Purdue Boilermakers forward Trevion Williams (50) and forward Aaron Wheeler (1) defend at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 8, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Trevion Williams (50) goes to the basket as Michigan State Spartans forward Joey Hauser (20) defends during the second half at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

2. The second half was a nightmare

After an impressive first half that ended with a 3-point make from Joshua Langford to give the Spartans a 15-point lead, it seemed like all was right with the world again.

Michigan State was playing elite basketball again and it looked like it was well on its way to a third straight win and this one would come against a pesky Purdue team. Well, those hopes didn’t last long as Purdue chipped away at the lead in the second half. Michigan State was leading by as much as 17, but the Boilermakers tied the game up with just over five minutes left.

The Spartans would bounce back to retain the lead and hold that until the final seconds, but the emergence of Trevion Williams in the second half and failure of Michigan State to adjust was the difference.

Michigan State went on a dry-spell with no field goals in a 12-minute span which led to the Boilermakers climbing back into the game and Tom Izzo’s mismanagement did the Spartans in.

Nothing went right for Michigan State in the second half on offense, defense or on the glass. This was a nightmare of a final 20 minutes.

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