By Danielle Daniels

1/3/2025

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senior center Szymon Zapala scored a season-high 15 points to lead three players in double figures as No. 18/15 Michigan State used a late run to seize the lead and held on for a 69-62 win over Ohio State at Value City Arena Friday night.

Zapala’s 15 points were a Michigan State career-best for the transfer and it was the first time he led the team in scoring this season, the eighth different Spartan to lead MSU in scoring this year.

Tom Izzo Michigan State M BKB coach A #18 Michigan State 69 Ohio State 62 1 3 2025.mp3

Senior guard Jaden Akins scored 14 points and sophomore forward Coen Carr added 11 points and three rebounds.

Junior forward Jaxon Kohler had 8 points and a game-high 10 rebounds and redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. finished with 6 points and a game-high 7 assists.

Records
Michigan State, winners of seven-straight games, improves to 12-2 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten Conference, while Ohio State falls to 9-5 overall and 1-2 in league play.

Recap

• Michigan State led by eight points (37-29) at halftime and led by 14 points (43-29) early in the second half before Ohio State used a 15-2 run to take a 50-49 lead with 8:47 left in the game.
• The Spartans responded with an 8-0 burst and took the lead for good on a thunderous dunk from sophomore forward Xavier Booker with 6:05 left to play.  Booker started the run with a conventional three-point play to give MSU a 52-50 lead, junior guard Tre Holloman hit a 3-pointer from the wing and Fears fed Booker for the dunk.
• Ohio State pulled to within 57-55 on a 3-pointer from Micah Parrish, but a floater from Fears, free throws from Carr and a driving layup from Akins pushed the lead back to 63-58.
• The Spartans hit 6-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes.
• MSU had an 8-point lead at the break (37-29) and forced Ohio State to call a timeout just under two minutes into the second half after Zapala scored the first three baskets, the latter on an alley-oop from Fears to make it 43-29.
• The Spartans still led by 12 points, 47-35, when freshman guard Jase Richardson scored on a fast break layup but the Buckeyes responded with their 15-2 run over 5:10 and took a 50-49 lead on a layup from Bruce Thornton, setting up the final eight minutes.
• The Spartans went into the break with a 37-29 lead, with Fears feeding Zapala for an alley-oop with 38 seconds left to cap a 6-0 run over 1:36 that created some space.
• MSU led for most of the half despite committing nine turnovers.
• Baskets from junior forward Jaxon Kohler gave the Spartans an early 4-0 lead but the Buckeyes out-scored MSU 13-9 took a 13-9 lead on a layup from Thornton with 12:19 to play.
• The Spartans countered with a 16-5 run and took a 25-18 lead on a 3-pointer from Fears with 7:51 on the clock.
• MSU still led by eight points, 29-21, following a layup from Carr with 5:52 left but Ohio State pulled to within 31-29 on a jumper from Devin Royal with 2:28 left.
• Free throws from Carr (2:13) and an Akins layup (1:15) were followed by Zapala’s dunk to close out the half.

Key Stats

• Michigan State out-scored Ohio State, 38-22, in the paint, including an 18-6 edge in the second half.
• The Spartans hit 81.8 percent of their free throws (18-of-22), including 6-of-8 in the final two minutes of the game.
• The Spartans shot 43.6 percent from the floor (24-of-55), including 48.1 percent in the opening half.
• Michigan State committed 16 turnovers, but none in the final seven minutes of the game.

Notes

• Michigan State leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 81-63, and has won 8 of the last 12 meetings.
• The Spartans are 27-41 all-time at Ohio State and the win was the second-straight at Value City Arena.
• Head Coach Tom Izzo‘s career record improved to 719-297.
• Izzo’s career Big Ten record improved to 346-170 and he needs eight more wins to pass former Indiana coach Bob Knight (353) for the all-time lead in conference wins by a head coach.
• Michigan State is 3-0 on the road this season.
• MSU had its eighth different player (Zapala) lead the team in scoring this season.
• This was the third time this season the Spartans have scored less than 60 points and it was their first win when doing so.
• Michigan State is 11-0 when leading at the half this season.
• MSU held OSU below 50.0 percent shooting from the floor (36.7 percent), the 13th time this season an opponent was below 50.0 percent (11-2).
• The Spartans are 12-0 when outshooting their opponent (43.6% to 36.7%).
• Michigan State had a 34-33 edge in rebounding and is 11-1 when controlling the battle of the boards.
• Michigan State hit 81.8 percent of its free throws (18-of-22), the 10th time this season connecting on at least 80 percent.
• The Spartans received a season-low 23 points from its bench in the win but the team’s reserves have scored at least 20 points in every game this season.
• MSU scored 9 points on the fast break, just the third time this season below 10 points.
• Szymon Zapala scored a season-high 15 points, also setting a new Michigan State career-best.
  • This was his second game in double figures this year and the 19th of his career, including his time at Longwood and Utah State.
• Jaden Akins scored 14 points, his 11th time in double figures this year and the 45th of his career.
  • Akins has now scored 973 points in his career at Michigan State.
• Coen Carr scored 11 points and grabbed 3 rebounds while hitting 7-of-8 free throws.
  • It was his fifth game in double figures this season and the seventh of his career.
  • He set career-best marks for free throws made (7) and attempted (8)
  • Carr had a streak of 21-straight free throws made ended; the streak dated back to MSU’s win over Nebraska on Dec. 7.
• Jeremy Fears Jr. handed out a game-high seven assists.
  • This was ninth game leading the team and the 11th with at least five.
• Jaxon Kohler finished with 8 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
  • It was his ninth time leading the team in rebounding this season and the 12th of his career.
  • He has recorded at least 10 rebounds nine times this year and 12 for his career.
  • He has grabbed at least 10 boards in five of the last six games.

Up Next
Michigan State is off until Thursday, Jan. 9, hosting Washington at the Breslin Center (BTN, 8 p.m.).

COURTESY MICHIGAN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS