MSU men’s basketball upset by Ohio State with buzzer-beater, lose fourth game at home this season

When rookie forward Xavier Booker took the court and received his first-ever collegiate start against the Ohio State Buckeyes, an in-conference foe, he was given the chance of a lifetime for a rookie.

But after the Michigan State Spartans were shocked by a walk-off buzzer-beater three-pointer by the Buckeyes to end the game at 60-57, the moment will always be bittersweet for Booker and the squad.

As the Spartans approach the end of the season, Ohio State’s Dale Bonner’s game-winning kick dealt them their second consecutive home setback. The Buckeyes’ victory was their first at MSU since March 2012.

Booker’s night had been going great before Ohio State’s tragic shot. The crowd had given him a standing ovation when he took the field for the first time ever as an MSU starter.

On February 25, 2024, during a game at the Breslin Student Event Center versus Ohio State University, freshman forward Xavier Booker (34), attempts a layup.
Booker played for about seven minutes in his first stretch of play, and even though he lost the tip-off for the Spartans, he won his first-ever starting position. Booker initially appeared a little uneasy, as any rookie would, but his teammates made every effort to incorporate him right away.

Despite the efforts of his teammates to involve him, Booker chose to take charge of the defensive end and record his first block in the opening three minutes by sending a pass out of bounds. Before being replaced at the 13-minute mark, the rookie continued to seem at ease in the starting lineup, taking three shots and making one three-pointer.

Booker appeared to be able to go in the closing minutes of his first stint as a starter, but the rookie acknowledged after the game that he needed a brief rest.

Booker admitted, “I was tired, for sure.” “I was gassed and definitely needed (a break), but it was fun to be out there and to just play freely and it felt good to have my name called in the starting lineup.”

Not only was Booker added to the starting lineup, though. Izzo used a variety of new and old lineups, such as a few minutes of Mady Sissoko and Carson Cooper together and a solo stretch by Jaxon Kohler.

Ultimately, Michigan State’s many combinations were unable to precisely address one of the team’s biggest issues of the game: rebounding. The Spartans and Buckeyes tied at 19 rebounds apiece at halftime, but the Spartans were unable to overtake the Buckeyes in the second half and ended up losing the game 39-33 due to a lack of offensive rebounds, with several of the Buckeyes’ most significant rebounds occurring in the closing minutes.

The effectiveness of the Spartans’ shots was another major problem that plagued them throughout the contest. The team got off to a strong start with their shooting, but the Spartans’ tendency to lose games rapidly became apparent to the spectators. The Spartans attempted seven three-pointers in the second half but were unable to convert any of them after making four of their nine three-pointers in the first half.

On February 25, 2024, at the Breslin Student Event Center, graduate student guard Tyson Walker (2) makes a jump shot during a game versus Ohio State University.
Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins, two of Michigan State’s primary scorers, had a poor game; together, they shot a combined 6-for-24. After the game, Izzo noted in a straightforward manner that the Spartans just cannot win when their shooters have a night like they did.