Michigan State’s Tom Izzo wanted a tough, challenging test from one of the nation’s top programs in the Spartans’ final exhibition game of the preseason, and that’s exactly what he and the Spartans received. No. 4-ranked UConn turned on impressive stints of offensive skill to go with flesh-and-blood halfcourt defense to handle Michigan State, 76-69, Tuesday night at PeoplesBank Arena, in Hartford, Conn.
The Spartans were cold in the first half, but increased their scrappy competitiveness in the middle portions of the game, and the final three minutes, in helping the final score end closer than most of the proceedings would have indicated.
UConn led by double-digits for most of the first half, and by as much as 19 at 63-44 with 11:26 left. The Spartans didn’t meet UConn with a trademark measure of physicality, tenacity and skill. But the tenacity part of the formula did show itself at times in the second half as the No. 22-ranked Spartans managed to avoid a blowout while learning a bit about themselves.
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