Michigan State Bounces Marquette, Secures Sweet 16 Spot

Izzo and Spartans draw No. 3 Kansas State Next

The No. 7 seed Michigan State Spartans secured their place in the Sweet 16 on Sunday, defeating the No. 2 seed Marquette Golden Eagles. The Spartans are now slated to face the No. 3 seed Kansas State Wildcats next week, either on Thursday or Friday.

Dominant Start for the Spartans

Michigan State set the tone early, establishing an 18-5 lead within the opening eight minutes. Although their 12-point advantage with less than six minutes in the first half was trimmed to five by the break, the Spartans remained resilient.

Second Half Surge Secures Victory

Marquette managed to take the lead briefly in the second half, but an 8-0 run by Michigan State shifted the momentum, giving them a 48-42 lead with just under eight minutes remaining in the game. The Golden Eagles couldn’t quite catch up, and the Spartans ultimately closed the game with a 13-5 run, winning 69-60.

Standout Performances

Tyson Walker spearheaded the Michigan State offense with 23 points, while A.J. Hoggard contributed 13. Joey Hauser notched a double-double, scoring 14 points and securing 10 rebounds, and Mady Sissoko added eight points and 10 rebounds to the team’s tally.

Return to Sweet 16 After 2019 Final Four Run

This marks Michigan State’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since their impressive Final Four run in 2019. Head coach Tom Izzo and his team will be looking to carry this momentum into their upcoming matchup against Kansas State, as they seek to continue their success in the NCAA tournament.