Michigan State Spartans Face Oregon Ducks in Big Ten Tournament Chase
After securing a double bye for the early stages of the Big Ten basketball tournament, the Michigan State Spartans step back onto the court this Friday to clash with the Oregon Ducks, whom MSU’s Tom Izzo describes as “potentially the hottest team in the league right now.” The Spartans, proudly holding the top seed with a 26-5 record, are fresh from a triumphant victory over the Michigan Wolverines last Sunday. They now prepare to face off against the No. 8 seed Ducks, boasting a 24-8 record, who claimed victory on Thursday by defeating the 9-seed Indiana 72-59 in the second round.
Previously, MSU bested Oregon on February 8 in East Lansing with an 86-74 win.
The teams reunite at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, vying for a spot in Saturday’s semifinals against the winner of the UCLA-Wisconsin matchup.
Follow live updates and highlights from the showdown between Michigan State and Oregon below:
Oregon narrows the gap to single digits when their standout performer in this match, Bittle, pulls off a three-point play, maintaining a visible MSU lead.
Bittle stands out as the sole Oregon player reaching double digits in points, while their second-highest scorer, Bamba, sits at only nine points.
7:30, 2H: MSU maintains a lead over Oregon at 61-49
MSU gains a significant advantage over the Ducks, who remained scoreless for nearly two minutes in the second half.
Both teams continue to struggle with turnovers, collectively amassing 25. These errors, however, don’t hinder MSU, who currently leads in three-point shooting percentage (42.9%) and rebounds.
10:08, 2H: MSU edges forward, leading Oregon 59-45
As game time progresses, Michigan State builds on their lead.
Outperforming Oregon on the boards 29-14, MSU’s momentum is fueled by a fading one-legged jumper from Richardson, pushing the Spartans to a 59-43 advantage.
12:50, 2H: MSU takes control with a 50-43 lead over Oregon
A forceful put-back dunk by Coen Carr and a steady layup from Jaxon Kohler stifle the Ducks’ early second-half surge.
These crucial scores extend MSU’s lead to seven.
15:33, 2H: MSU survives an Oregon comeback, holding onto a 44-43 lead
Oregon began the half with a Bittle airball, only for him to redeem himself shortly after by netting a shot courtesy of a Bamba pass, contributing another set of points.
This shifted momentum sparks an 11-2 run, chipping away at MSU’s lead and bringing it down to a single point.
Halftime: MSU leads Oregon 42-32
The Spartans closed the first half with the same vigor they started the game — on a decisive run.
Outscoring the Ducks 11-2, MSU concluded their late surge with Carson Cooper scoring with 39 seconds on the clock, securing a 10-point lead.
Turnovers still plague both teams, who have combined for a total of 14 thus far.
Both teams are struggling to maintain ball control, resulting in 15 points scored off these errors.
MSU’s top performers include Akins, who has netted nine points with a 4-9 shooting performance, while Bittle leads the charge for Oregon, also with nine points from a 4-6 field goal effort.