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Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from statement win over Indiana

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 21: Joey Hauser #10 of the Michigan State Spartans drives past Race Thompson #25 of the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the game at Breslin Center on February 21, 2023 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 21: Joey Hauser #10 of the Michigan State Spartans drives past Race Thompson #25 of the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the game at Breslin Center on February 21, 2023 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State’s Tyson Walker, left, and A.J. Hoggard, right, share a laugh on the bench during the second half in the game against Indiana on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.230221 Msu Indiana Bball 207a
Michigan State’s Tyson Walker, left, and A.J. Hoggard, right, share a laugh on the bench during the second half in the game against Indiana on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.230221 Msu Indiana Bball 207a /

2. The guards put the team on their backs

Good college basketball teams win because of elite guard play. And that was on full display on Tuesday night as AJ Hoggard and Tyson Walker willed Michigan State to a win with a combined 45 points and nine assists on 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.

Indiana had no answer for Walker and Hoggard.

It all started for Walker in the first half with Michigan State struggling to keep up with the Hoosiers. They were down 22-13 before Walker went off and hit three big 3-pointers to help tie the game up at 24-24. He then sent the Spartans into halftime with a big lead after hitting a Steph Curry-range three nearly from the Spartan logo. He had a game-high 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor and 5-of-7 from deep.

Clearly Walker was on his game all night long.

But it took Hoggard a little longer to get hot. He struggled early and had three turnovers in the first half, but he settled down in the final 20 minutes and scored 17 second-half points. He was efficient, aggressive, and smart with the ball in the second half. He finished with 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting and made 7-of-8 free throws.

When both of these guys are on, Michigan State is virtually impossible to beat.

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