Michigan State Survives Sloppy First Half, Pulls Away From Cornell in 114–97 Win
There’s a certain curiosity that comes with games like this. On paper, it’s a mismatch — Michigan State Spartans versus Cornell Big Red — the kind of December matchup fans don’t watch for suspense, but for answers.
Monday night at the Breslin Center, I settled in with a short checklist:
How does Michigan State shoot the three?
Do they clean up free throws?
Are the missed layups finally gone?
For the first half, the Spartans answered every one of those questions — just in the wrong direction.
Missed layups. Loose perimeter defense. Free throws left on the table. Cornell splashing threes like they were uncontested layups. Michigan State needed a buzzer-beater at the horn just to take a two-point lead into halftime, and that alone told the story of an uneven opening 20 minutes.
Then halftime arrived — and everything shifted.
First Half: Everything You Didn’t Want to See
Cornell came in fearless and committed to its identity.
The Big Red knocked down 6-of-16 three-pointers in the first half, repeatedly exposing slow closeouts and late rotations. These weren’t broken possessions — they were clean, confident looks.
Meanwhile, Michigan State:
- Missed multiple point-blank layups
- Struggled to defend the perimeter
- Shot inconsistently at the line
- Looked uncomfortable defending a team willing to let it fly
The halftime buzzer-beater felt more like a lifeline than momentum.
Second Half: Adjustments, Control, Separation
Whatever Tom Izzo delivered at halftime landed.
Michigan State ramped up its defensive pressure, cleaned the glass, and finally imposed its athleticism. Cornell continued to live — and die — by the three, finishing 9-for-28 (34%) from deep. Against lower-level conference opponents, that approach can be dangerous. Against Michigan State, it eventually collapses.
The foul count became exhausting:
- Cornell: 35 fouls
- Michigan State: 20 fouls
That’s 55 total fouls in a game where the national average typically sits in the low 30s — a stop-start slog that drained any rhythm.
Once Michigan State found its footing, the gap widened quickly.
Jeremy Fears Jr. Set the Tone
After struggling offensively over the previous two games, Jeremy Fears Jr. delivered his best performance of the season.
He finished with 21 points and 11 assists, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three, controlling tempo and punishing over-help. When Michigan State needed organization, Fears provided it — calmly and decisively.
Balanced Scoring Made the Difference
While Fears was the engine, Michigan State’s balance ultimately broke Cornell’s resistance.
Coen Carr continued his high-energy stretch with 19 points and six rebounds, attacking the rim, finishing through contact, and converting at the free-throw line. Trey Fort added 14 points, providing steady perimeter scoring that forced Cornell to respect the spacing.
Divine Ugochukwu chipped in 12 points, showing growing comfort in his role and contributing as a secondary option, while Jaxon Kohler posted another workmanlike night with 11 points and 10 rebounds, securing his fourth straight double-double.
That kind of balance — five players in double figures — is what allows Michigan State to survive uneven stretches and still separate when the game settles.
Free Throws: A December Warning That Still Matters
Michigan State finished 29-for-43 at the line (67%).
You can survive that in December.
You won’t in tight Big Ten games.
And you definitely won’t in March.
It’s a theme that keeps resurfacing, and it keeps mattering.
Stat Capsule 📊
🏀 Final
- Michigan State 114, Cornell 97
- MSU improves to 12–1
🔥 Jeremy Fears Jr.
- 21 PTS | 11 AST | 7-11 FG | 3-5 3PT
🚀 Coen Carr
- 19 PTS | 6 REB
💪 Jaxon Kohler
- 11 PTS | 10 REB
🎯 Team Shooting
- FG: 55% (36-65)
- 3PT: 46% (13-28)
- FT: 67% (29-43)
🧱 Rebounding Edge
- MSU 45, Cornell 33
What’s Next: A Real Test in Lincoln
There will be no room for sloppiness next.
Michigan State heads to Lincoln to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who enter 12-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten. That’s an undefeated team protecting its home floor — and a legitimate gut-check as conference play ramps up.
Missed free throws and loose first halves won’t survive that environment.
Was this game proof of Michigan State’s depth and resilience — or another reminder that sloppy habits are still lurking beneath the surface as Big Ten play heats up? Drop a comment below or join the conversation in the Spartans Sound Off — where fans break down every game, every angle.
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Info gathered from team reports, pressers & trusted media outlets — the way we always do it at Mitten Sports Talk.
