EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo questioned his team's toughness during a home loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Four days later, the Spartans coach got exactly what he was hoping for as No. 17 Michigan State had the emotional edge from the opening tip, pouring it on in the second half on the way to a 76-61 victory at the Breslin Center, ending a two-game skid and keeping the Spartans one game back of first-place Illinois the Big Ten race.
It was far from perfect as Michigan State (18-6, 9-4 Big Ten) started slowly, but an impressive game at the free-throw line and 18 points from Malik Hall sparked the victory. The Spartans were 25 for 28 from the line.
In addition to Hall, A.J. Hoggard, who started for the first time this season, scored 14 and handed out eight assists before he was ejected in the second half following a second technical foul. The usual starter, Tyson Walker, played well, too, scoring 15 to match a season-high for the Spartans.
Trayce Jackson-Davis scored 17 for Indiana (16-8, 7-7) while Tamar Bates and Race Thompson added 13 apiece.
It didn't take Michigan State long to shake off another slow start, falling behind 9-5 while making one of its first six shots. The Spartans responded quickly to grab the lead back and push it to 14-11 after a drive and layup from Walker less than six minutes into the game.
After a Jackson-Davis dunk made it a one-point game, Michigan State rattled off an 11-2 run, getting six points from Hoggard in the stretch to take a 25-15 lead with 6:42 to play, the Spartans' biggest lead of the half.
Indiana responded, though, as turnovers started to hurt Michigan State. A 9-0 run from the Hoosiers cut the Spartans' lead to one before the Hoosiers tied the game at 29 with 1:52 to play on a jumper in the corner from Bates.
The Spartans closed the half strong, however, using an 8-1 surge to take a 37-30 lead into the halftime locker room, a stretch that was highlighted by a Hall 3-pointer.
Michigan State started slowly again in the second half as Indiana scored the first eight points to take a 38-37 lead just more than two minutes into the half. The Spartans rebounded, though, as Hall hit a 3-pointer and after a lob pass from Gabe Brown to Hall, the lead grew to 45-41. After a Walker triple and layup, Michigan State pushed the advantage to 54-44 with 12 minutes to play.
But a three-point play from Jackson-Davis followed by four straight free throws kept the Hoosiers in the game. Michigan State responded with an 8-0 run, however, extending the lead to 62-51 with 5:55 to play when Hall hit a prayer of a jump shot from behind the backboard as the shot clock expired.
From there, the Spartans pulled away, ending their skid at two games.
