Luka Garza didn’t exactly have his fair share of elite performances at the Breslin Center against Michigan State, and one specific game sticks out to Spartan fans. That was the matchup he had with Xavier Tillman in which the Spartan star reminded everyone why he was the best defensive player in the Big Ten.
Garza couldn’t really do much of anything against Tillman, and that led to the Spartan big man securing a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award as a junior.
The Iowa legend still remembers his games at the Breslin Center, and he has a crazy conspiracy about why he may have struggled against the Spartans, especially in the second half. Garza went 1-2 at the Breslin Center not because Michigan State was the better team, but rather it was because the rims in the second half for the Hawkeyes were intentionally bad.
No, I’m not kidding. He actually believes this.
Luka Garza thinks Michigan State intentionally gives the road team the worst rim in the second half 👀
— White Noise Podcast w/Derrick White (@whitenoisepod_) February 3, 2026
“This is my conspiracy theory… it’s the worst rim in college basketball. The other team comes in the second half and can’t buy a bucket.” pic.twitter.com/mF8N3bCKwW
Garza thinks that the rims in the second half of games at the Breslin Center are purposely worse for the road team because it allows Michigan State to come back.
So he believes that Michigan State intentionally sabotages itself in the first half in order to have a comeback opportunity in the second half. Everyone has that one conspiracy that they believe in, and most are harmless, including this one, but this is an insane hill to die on if Garza is serious.
The Breslin Center’s second-half rims were named Xavier Tillman
Garza didn’t play very well in 2018-19 and 2019-20 at the Breslin Center, posting two of his worst games of each season in East Lansing thanks to some really good defense by the Spartans — not rims.
In 2018-19, Garza shot 1-for-10 with seven points, nine rebounds, and two turnovers in 22 minutes of a 90-68 loss. Nick Ward and Tillman combined to shut him down completely.
In 2019-20, Garza was 8-for-21 with 20 points, nine rebounds, and two turnovers in a 78-70 loss. Tillman held the Big Ten Player of the Year to one of his worst shooting performances of the season.
So in those two seasons, Garza averaged 13.5 points and nine rebounds, but he shot 9-for-31 from the floor. Michigan State’s defense shut him down.
Or maybe it was the rims in the second half?