EAST LANSING — Rocket Watts and Tom Izzo exchanged words on the sideline. Then Malik Hall got into his classmate. Izzo stepped between them.
Cooler heads quickly prevailed. But Michigan State basketball’s frustrations in that moment were on full display.
More turnovers and bad decisions. More ugly shots and misses. More fouls.
More importantly, less urgency from a team clinging to hope of putting together better basketball in the final two months of the regular season.
The Spartans also lacked emotion and intensity on the court beyond Joshua Langford, Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown, who helped them push through their continued deficiencies Saturday to a 66-56 win over Nebraska at Breslin Center.