Michigan State basketball: Report card from massive win over Kentucky

Michigan State Spartans center Mady Sissoko (22) rushes up the court in excitement after dunking the ball Tuesday, Nov 15, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Michigan State Spartans defeated the Kentucky Wildcats in double overtime, 86-77.Ncaa Basketball Uk Vs Michigan State Hoops Michigan State Spartans At University Of Kentucky Wildcats /

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What a win. What an effort. Michigan State basketball just continues to impress this year and the Spartans are one made bucket away from being 3-0 with two top-five wins.

Instead, the Spartans are 2-1 with a win over No. 4 Kentucky in double-overtime which came just days after losing 64-63 to Gonzaga on an aircraft carrier. And yet somehow, this team isn’t ranked.

Doubters have been proven wrong through three games and Tom Izzo’s crazy scholarship plan seems to be working thus far.

While this team isn’t deep, all of the contributors are effective. Now let’s give them all grades for their Champions Classic performances.

AJ Hoggard: B-

This definitely wasn’t AJ Hoggard’s best game, scoring just four points with five turnovers but he also wasn’t hunting for his own shot. And he had nine assists which really set this team up for success on the offensive end.

On a typical Hoggard night, he’s going to score 10-plus and probably dish 7-8 assists, so we’ll just call this one an anomaly because he was facing some really good defenders. He tried to do too much.

Hoggard finished the game a little hobbled but he toughed it out to make the perfect pass to Tyson Walker on the inbounds to help send the game into double-overtime.

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