Gophers men's basketball sputters late in loss to Michigan State

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State’s Tom Izzo praised fellow Big Ten coach Ben Johnson this week for building the talent up for the Gophers men’s basketball program since the two teams last faced off.

It had been two years between meetings after the only scheduled game last season was canceled after a MSU campus incident. Izzo said this was Minnesota’s “deepest team in years.”

That depth was put to the test Thursday night with the Big Ten’s assists leader Elijah Hawkins out for the Gophers with an ankle injury.

This wasn’t the first time Johnson’s team had to play shorthanded – missing leading scorer Dawson Garcia for three games with a bad ankle last month. They never lost.

Missing Hawkins was another big injury blow that came at an even worse time.

Hoping to end a two-game slide with their first win at Michigan State since 2015, the Gophers hung around most of the night with the Spartans. But they went scoreless from the field over the final 5:39 of the game and committed 19 turnovers in a 76-66 loss Thursday at the Breslin Center.

The Gophers (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten) are now below .500 in the conference after a 3-1 start that eclipsed the two wins all of last season in league play.

This was a more talented Minnesota team. That’s why it stung Johnson and company to leave with a missed opportunity at a first signature win. Five of seven games starting Thursday were considered Quad 1, which is gold on a team’s NCAA tournament resume.

Dawson Garcia had 13 of his 22 points in the second half to lead the Gophers, who twice took the lead in the second half and tied the game for the seventh time with 5 ½ minutes to play.

Pharrel Payne’s layup following 11 straight points from Garcia made it 62-62, but the Spartans went to their top guard to answer.

Tyson Walker had 10 of his 21 points during one stretch to give Michigan State the 72-64 advantage with under a minute remaining. Hawkins is as important to the Gophers as Walker was to the Spartans.

Mike Mitchell Jr. broke out of a slump with 14 points after replacing his starting backcourt mate as the team’s floor general Thursday. Payne had seven points and 10 rebounds after shaking off back pain to start at center.

A third straight loss could’ve gotten ugly early, but the Gophers only trailed 37-32 at halftime after committing 11 turnovers in front of a hostile crowd in the first half.

The Spartans (11-7, 3-4) seemed more vulnerable having started the season with a 1-4 Big Ten record, the worst for the program since before Izzo’s tenure in 1988-89.

But this wasn’t the same Michigan State group that lost to James Madison at home to open the season. Izzo’s squad entered Thursday with wins in six of the last eight games.

Johnson demanded this week that his Gophers come out hungrier than their opponent. It certainly looked that way at times, but playing without Hawkins and foul trouble was tough to overcome in the end.

Cam Christie, the brother of ex-Spartans guard Max Christie, fouled out with eight minutes left in the game. The Michigan State student section shouted from behind the bench as he left the floor frustrated at what could’ve been with fewer mistakes and fouls. Four different players had at least four fouls in the end.