NCAA Tournament 2017, Kansas vs Michigan State: Highlights, score and recap

Kansas and Michigan State will do battle in the heart of Oklahoma with a Sweet 16 berth on the line. Here’s the full recap and highlights of the game.

There were a few tense moments, but Kansas is back in the Sweet 16. Tom Izzo’s men deserve credit for putting up a good fight, but the Jayhawks’ guards, as well as Josh Jackson, proved to be too much to handle. Kansas proved why they’re a No. 1 seed, as they flashed their depth at every position. They’re going to be an extremely tough out the rest of the way.

The marquee matchup on the day was Jackson vs. Miles Bridges. Jackson wasted no time making his presence felt early on when he got a clean block on Nairn Jr. for his team leading 35th. But in the same sequence on offense, he got denied by the rim on a dunk attempt.

Bridges, meanwhile, had 13 points in the first half. In what was a true display of endurance, he departed to the locker room early in the game, then returned less than five minutes later. As soon as he got back on the floor, he drilled a 3-pointer.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair that saw the lead change 11 times. Even though Kansas didn’t shoot well, especially from beyond the arc, they still went on a late 17-4 run. However, Michigan State responded with six unanswered points at the end of the half.

The second half resembled a boxing match with the way momentum kept swinging. Up 50-42, the Jayhawks proceeded to miss nine of their next 10 shots. Michigan State capitalized by going on a 11-4 run to get to within a point. Jackson responded by scoring the Jayhawks’ next six points.

Kansas started to pull away once they burned Michigan State on the fast break while gaining confidence from beyond the arc. However, this was a closer game than the scoreline suggested.

Three stars

Josh Jackson – Everyone knew who Josh Jackson was coming into this game. He established himself as an impact player all year long, and a potential lottery pick. But on the national stage, Jackson dominated the Spartans. He finished with a team-high 23 points, scored timely buckets all game long, and came up big as soon as the Spartans looked like they were gaining momentum. With two blocks and two steals on the night, he made a tremendous impact on the defensive end as well.

Devonte Graham – It was a pretty quiet first half for Graham, but as soon as he started heating up, that’s when the Jayhawks pulled away. He shot a ridiculously efficient 7-of-10 clip, including 4-of-6 from deep, and added three steals on the defensive end. He doesn’t get enough praise for what he adds to the team.

Landen Lucas – A big part of Kansas’ win was their effort on the glass. They out-rebounded the Spartans 34-24. Lucas was at the forefront of that, as he had a double-double with 11 rebounds. According to ESPN, it’s the sixth 10-rebound game for Lucas in the NCAA Tournament.

Highlights

Next game

Kansas will face Purdue in the Sweet 16. While they’re much better than Purdue at the guard position, Caleb Swanigan could overwhelm them in the frontcourt. However, Lucas can hold his own in that matchup. As long as it’s March, we should be treated to a great game.