EVANSTON, Ill – To say it wasn’t the start Michigan State basketball wanted in defending its Big Ten title is an understatement.
To say the Spartans looked like a completely different team than their first six games might be a little closer to reality.
Shots clanging off the rim one after another. Defensive breakdowns. Joey Hauser injuring his other knee in a lackluster first half. Rocket Watts struggling all Sunday night. Joshua Langford fouling out with nearly 7 minutes to play.
What will irritate Tom Izzo even more watching the tape will be how much more physical in the paint Northwestern was than his Spartans.