CORONADO, Calif. — Michigan State was in position to make a massive statement just days into the season.
The Spartans, despite misfiring on free throws and turning the ball over, were in control of the No. 2 team in the country, leading Gonzaga by 12 points early in the second half of the Armed Forces Classic aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.
But the Bulldogs aren’t a Final Four contender for nothing and they came storming back, taking advantage of some cold Michigan State shooting to rally for a 64-63 victory.
Jaden Akins got a shot to win the game at the buzzer, but it banged off the back of the rim.
Mady Sissoko scored 14 to lead Michigan State (1-1) while Tyson Walker and A.J. Hoggard added 12 points each with Malik Hall chipping in 11.
Drew Timme scored 22 to lead Gonzaga (2-0).
It took a minute for both teams to settle in as each had its share of wayward shots in the early going. While Gonzaga began the game shooting 3 for 10, Michigan State took advantage to take an early lead thanks to a Walker triple in the corner.
After the Bulldogs responded and pulled in front, 13-10, the Spartans went on a 9-2 run behind five points from Hall as the lead grew to 19-15 with just less than nine minutes to play.
Michigan State eventually pushed the advantage to 24-18 after a Walker layup and a Akins 3-pointer, but the Spartans couldn’t pull away as the Bulldogs scored the next six to tie the game at 24. Michigan State went back ahead on a lob to Sissoko and eventually led 31-26 but missed an opportunity to extend the lead when Sissoko missed a pair of free throws.
It went back and forth from there with Michigan State lead, 33-31 with 1:47 left in the half.
But the Spartans closed strong as the Bulldogs missed their final three shots while Michigan State got a free throw from Sissoko, a jumper from Walker and a lob from Walker to Tre Holloman at the buzzer to take a 38-31 lead into the halftime locker room.
Michigan State kept attacking to open the second half as the Spartans made 7 of 8 free throws to take their biggest lead at that point, 45-33, with 17:04 left in the game and forcing an early Gonzaga timeout.
But Gonzaga started to rally and came storming back, tearing off 11 straight points, a run that was halted by Tyson Walker’s layup with 12:03 left, the first field goal of the half for the Spartans. Michigan State led, 47-44, at that point, a lead that extended to 50-44 on two Hoggard free throws.
Gonzaga scored four in a row before a Pierre Brooks 3-pointer gave Michigan State a 53-48 lead. But Timme answered with a bucker to cut the Spartans’ lead to 53-50 with 7:02 to play. The Bulldogs eventually tied the game with five minutes to play and took their first lead since early in the first half when a put-back from Malachi Smith gave Gonzaga a 61-59 lead with 3:15 left in the game.
After the teams traded baskets, Hall tied the game at 63 on a jumper in the lane before Timme split a pair of free throws to give the Bulldogs a one-point lead.
Hoggard missed a triple and Hall’s put-back was no good. Gonzaga then turned the ball over, setting up Michigan State’s final possession that ended with Akins’ miss at the buzzer.
