Michigan State basketball has brought heroics and dramatics to the season in its infancy. The Spartans took down the No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats 86-77 in double-overtime during the first game of the Champions Classic.
It was a battle from start to finish, with 14 ties and 10 lead changes, the Spartans and Wildcats needed two extra periods to settle the first game in Indianapolis for the Champions Classic.
Kentucky jumped out to an early 7-point lead in the first half, but the Spartans came roaring back with an 8-0 run to take their first lead of the game at 21-20.
Both teams traded baskets until halftime, where the Spartans took a 36-34 lead into the half.
The second half mirrored the first half, with Kentucky taking an early lead and the Spartans never going away.
Trailing 62-60, with three seconds left, the Spartans ran a perfect out-of-bounds play, where Malik Hall slipped a screen and had a wide-open dunk to send the game into overtime at 62-62.
In the first overtime period, Kentucky went on a quick 5-0 run to take a 67-62 lead, which was countered by a Spartans 5-0 run to tie the game. The Wildcats countered taking a 71-69 lead with under ten seconds in the overtime period.
Malik Hall came to the rescue once again, another out-of-bounds play was drawn to perfect and Hall finished it with a dunk sending it to a second overtime period.
In the second overtime period, the Spartans were ready to take this game and not give it back. MSU broke a 76-76 tie with an 8-0 run that was fueled by two Mady Sissoko alley-oops from Tyson Walker, and the Spartans came away victorious, 86-77.
Joey Hauser led the way for Michigan State with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Malik Hall joined him with 20 points, while Mady Sissoko added 16 points and 8 rebounds.
Tyson Walker added 14 points and 6 assists, while AJ Hoggard had 9 assists to his name facilitating the offense.
Kentucky star big man Oscar Tshiebwe was very good in his season debut, scoring 22 points along with 18 rebounds.
Michigan State will be back in action on Friday with a match-up against Villanova.
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