IU basketball: Michigan State 76 Indiana 61 — Three keys | Highlights

Indiana lost to Michigan State by a final score of 76-61 on Saturday afternoon at The Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.

The Hoosiers trailed 37-30 at halftime and were led in the game by Trayce Jackson-Davis with 17 points. Race Thompson added 13 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Tamar Bates also had 13 points, matching a career-high. The Hoosiers opened the second half on an 8-0 run but couldn’t sustain their momentum.

IU (16-8, 7-7) will return home to host Wisconsin on Tuesday night.

THREE KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Inefficient offense dooms the Hoosiers. Indiana couldn’t get shots to fall all afternoon — from anywhere. They made just 33.9 percent from the field overall including 23.8 percent from three. IU made just 16-of-27 (59.3 percent) from the free throw line. Trayce Jackson-Davis continued to struggle from the field. He made just 5-of-13 on the day and has made just 12-of-35 over the last three games.

2. Lineup change doesn’t deliver, Johnson flustered. Mike Woodson inserted Trey Galloway into the starting five in place of Parker Stewart, and neither player adjusted well. The duo combined to go just 1-of-15 from the field including 1-of-10 from three. Xavier Johnson was effective early in the game when he was on the floor but he struggled with fouls and played just 20 minutes. He didn’t respond well to the physical nature of the game and had four second half turnovers after committing none before the break.

3. MSU capitalizes at the stripe, IU doesn’t. While the Hoosiers made just 59 percent of their freebies on 27 attempts, Michigan State made 25-of-28, or 89.3 percent. Some of the Spartans’ free throws came from a lack of composure by IU, including a technical foul on Mike Woodson and a flagrant foul on Jordan Geronimo.