No. 8 Michigan State once again proved its resilience in the second half, edging No. 16 Maryland in a thrilling top-20 matchup on Wednesday night.
The Spartans secured another tough road victory, fending off a surging Terrapins squad with a dramatic 58-55 win. Michigan State led by seven late before Maryland stormed back with a 7-0 run to tie the game. But after a missed go-ahead shot by the Terrapins, junior guard Tre Holloman launched a halfcourt heave as the buzzer sounded—and it swished through, sealing a statement victory for the Spartans.
Freshman guard Jase Richardson led Michigan State with 15 points and eight rebounds, tying junior forward Jaxon Kohler for the team high.
Back-and-Forth First Half
Maryland struck first, but the Spartans responded with a 7-0 run, sparked by five early points from Richardson. Michigan State extended its lead to 11-4, but the Terrapins quickly answered with back-to-back and-1s from freshman center Derik Queen and junior guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie, trimming the deficit to one.
The game remained a tight battle for the rest of the half. Maryland briefly took its first lead with just under three-and-a-half minutes left, but it was short-lived—Spartan sophomore forward Coen Carr threw down a breakaway dunk to tie it up seconds later.
Maryland’s Selton Miguel beat the first-half buzzer with a jumper, giving the Terrapins a 23-21 lead at the break. Neither team found an offensive rhythm early, with both shooting under 30% from the field and failing to reach double-digit made field goals. Michigan State also struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away nine times.
Spartans Seize Control in the Second Half
Michigan State reclaimed the lead immediately after halftime as Kohler converted a tough and-1. Maryland responded with back-to-back buckets to go up by three, their largest lead of the game.
A 6-0 Spartan run swung the advantage back in Michigan State’s favor, but Maryland’s Riley Rice answered with a clutch three-pointer, tying the game at 27 with 14:38 remaining.
The Spartans then built some separation, with sophomore forward Xavier Booker knocking down a three to give them their first two-possession lead since early in the game. Michigan State extended its edge to six, but Rice kept the Terrapins close, scoring six straight points—including a deep three—to knot the score at 39-39.
Rice finished as Maryland’s top scorer with 20 points.
With 7:43 left, Michigan State senior guard Jaden Akins drained a three to push the lead back to four. A few minutes later, Richardson took over, scoring six points in a 7-0 run that gave the Spartans their largest lead of the night—nine points with 5:30 to play.
Maryland fought back, closing the gap to four before Michigan State’s redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. buried a crucial three-pointer, extending the lead to seven with just over three minutes remaining.
A Wild Finish
The Terrapins refused to go quietly. They clawed back to within two points with 42 seconds left. Then, after a costly turnover and foul by Holloman, Gillespie sank two free throws to tie the game at 55.
Michigan State had a chance to win it in regulation, but the Spartans couldn’t convert on their final possession, giving Maryland one last opportunity.
Gillespie launched a potential game-winner from beyond the arc—only to miss. Just when it seemed the game was headed to overtime, Holloman redeemed himself in spectacular fashion, launching a desperation shot from halfcourt as time expired. It banked in, stunning the Maryland crowd and securing Michigan State’s fourth consecutive victory.
With the win, the Spartans improve to 23-5 overall and 14-3 in conference play.
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