Michigan State basketball: AJ Hoggard already motivated for Indiana rematch
Plenty went wrong for Michigan State basketball on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington, leading to a third loss in four games, dropping the Spartans to 13-7 overall.
The Spartans looked to be in the game for about 30 minutes and then, just like the Illinois game last Friday, they ran out of gas in the final 10 minutes. Also like that Illinois game in Champaign, Michigan State was leading Indiana by nine at one point and looked to be in firm control.
In the end, however, there was just too much Trayce Jackson-Davis and not enough perimeter defense on Tamar Bates and Trey Galloway who combined to go 8-for-9 from deep.
Going forward, the Spartans have to be better and they have to be able to respond to punches in the mouth with runs of their own.
Michigan State basketball surprised by chippy Indiana matchup
Throughout the game, however, there was plenty of trash talk and even some chippiness which some elbows thrown, pushing and shoving, and guys getting into each other’s faces.
Michigan State didn’t expect that, per AJ Hoggard.
He also sounded fairly motivated for a rematch in East Lansing later this season where you better believe the Spartans won’t get out-toughed again.
A.J. Hoggard: “It was a little chippy, I don’t know why. We just came to play basketball. I don’t know what’s the purpose of all that. But hey, that’s how they play, we responded to it. We’ll see them at the Breslin soon.”
— Kyle Austin (@kylebaustin) January 22, 2023
It’s easy to see a quote like this and claim that Hoggard is making excuses (just read the rival fan comments) but he was probably asked about the physicality and trash talking and gave his opinion. He didn’t say that was the reason his team lost.
But you can bet he’ll be ready to be chippy right back and bounce back with toughness in the rematch in East Lansing.
It’s not often you see a Michigan State team out-toughed but it was on Sunday afternoon. Hoggard is going to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
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