The annual will take place again in 2022 and features a matchup of four of the top college basketball programs in the country. This season, the event takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana at the . The opening matchup features the Michigan State Spartans taking on the #4 Kentucky Wildcats. Michigan State comes into this matchup at 1-1 following a heartbreaking one-point loss to #2 Gonzaga aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Armed Forces Classic. The Wildcats are 2-0 after winning their opening two games at home. The opening tap for this matchup is scheduled for 7:00pm EST.
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Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans teams are usually slow out of the gates and peak by mid to late season right before the tournament. With that in mind, it was surprising to see how well the Spartans performed on Friday night against the #2 team in the country, Gonzaga. Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, Michigan State held the lead nearly 30 minutes time, including by as many as 12 points in the second half, but couldn't quite close the deal against the Zags. Forward Mady Sissoko scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Spartans while A.J. Hoggard and Tyson Walker both added 12 points in defeat. Michigan State's downfall was their inability to knock down shots in the second half. After hitting 50% of their shots in the first half and leading by seven points at the break, they shot the ball just 25% in the second half and took the loss after a missed three-point shot ended the game, falling 64-63.
“Gonzaga is who Gonzaga is because they’re really good,” Izzo said after the loss. “But they’ve got a go-to guy. Down the stretch that guy he just rose up. That’s what he’s supposed to do.
“I want to feel so good about the setting, our fans, the veterans, the way our team played, but how do you feel good when you lose a game when you led for 30 minutes?” Izzo said. “It’s hard to do.”
2022 Armed Forces Classic. pic.twitter.com/cjlLRQVwsa
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) November 12, 2022
One thing the Spartans have not done well so far is knock down three point shots. Through two games, Michigan State is shooting just 12-of-43 from the 3pt line, 28 %. Overall, the Spartans are shooting 43% from the field and are averaging 68 points per game. They are turning the ball over 12.5 times per game in the first two while forcing 15 turnovers per game. They have been effective on the defensive side of the ball, holding the opposition under 40% shooting thus far. Hoggard leads the team with just over 10 points per game and the Spartans have four players averaging at least nine points per game.