Win at Iowa sparked Spartans’ season

INDIANAPOLIS - Michigan State's first four months of basketball was filled with gridlock. The Spartans at times appeared more like an NCAA bubble team and less like one with Final Four talent.

Perhaps no game symbolized the Spartans' rags-to-riches season quite like its game at Iowa on Jan. 8. Michigan State led by six early, then the Hawkeyes stormed back with a 27-10 run and led 39-28 at halftime. Coach tom Izzo lit into his team and an official with 25 seconds left and earned a technical foul.

'I was trying to hold the official accountable,” Izzo said Friday morning. 'It wasn't my fault at all.”

Izzo's tirade continued during halftime. The message was to regain momentum and start defending. Instead of cowering against an eventual NCAA tournament team in a tough road environment, the Spartans came out firing.

'It did carry over in the locker room and we just weren't giving the effort we'd normally give,” Michigan State assistant coach Dwayne Stephens said. 'The guys said in the locker room, ‘We've got to go back out here and start playing Michigan State basketball.' We came out and went on a heck of a run. It helps when you have Travis Trice make some of the shots that he made.”

Trice scored 25 points and was 7 of 8 from 3-point range. He hit his last six 3-pointers.

'That game was so long ago, I kind of forget about it,” Trice said.

Izzo immediately jumped in.

'How could you forget about that?” asked Izzo.

Michigan State outscored Iowa 47-22 in the second half. The Spartans shot 66.7 percent after halftime, while Iowa hit 36 percent. The game was important for the Spartans, who had limped through non-conference play with a 9-4 record and lost to Texas Southern at home. It also showed the team it was capable of fighting back on the road against good opponents.

'That was one of those games, as you say, where you got over the hump,” Izzo said. 'Really kind of figured out something about your team.

'(Trice) kind of took over. We had a great run in the second half. That propelled us. That gave us a little more confidence. This team needed to build some confidence.”

By season's end, Michigan State and Iowa were tied (along with Purdue) for third place in Big Ten play.

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