Hoosiers Fall to Spartans

Sunday, March 1

Bloomington, Ind.

3:45 PM

Indiana University

17-12,8-10Big Ten

Michigan State

24-5,14-4Big Ten

Michigan St.

Indiana

3/1/2026 6:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Forward Tucker DeVries threw his body over Branch McCracken Court as if he had two more to spare. Indiana's graduate forward did not, but that wasn't the Sunday afternoon point at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Making enough winning plays to help snap a three-game losing streak and upset No. 13/13 Michigan State was.

It didn't happen.

Guard Lamar Wilkerson seemingly willed in shots near and far.

It wasn't enough.

As clock ticked to zero, Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. dribbled to the inevitable in IU's 77-64 defeat.

Tucker DeVries and Wilkerson combined for 26 of the Hoosiers' 27 second-half points. Wilkerson finished with 29. DeVries added 20.

IU (17-12 overall, 8-10 in the Big Ten) needed more against the Spartans (24-5, 14-4).

"A lot of credit to MSU and how they played," Tucker DeVries said. "They put us in a lot of difficult spots, but we gave ourselves chances to stay in the game. They got some offensive rebounds and hit some tough shots. Those are the plays we have to make to win these type of games. You have to be on point on almost everything and we weren't."

Yet, the Hoosiers kept staying within range, in part because of their effort.

"Sometimes you walk away from losses, and you want them back," Tucker DeVries said. "You want all of them back, but there are times you lay it all out there and it's not enough. This was more on that side of it. We still have a lot to learn."

Michigan State's early ruthless offensive produced a series of double-digit leads IU could never overcome. Adding to the difficulty -- the Spartans were 12-for-24 beyond the arc to offset IU's 10-for-35. They also had a 22-0 edge in bench points.

"We played with a lot of effort," Tucker DeVries said. "We competed at a high level. It was some of the execution we lacked, and offensive rebounding, when we needed them the most, we weren't able to get them."

Michigan State's nine second-half offensive rebounds, which led to 12 second-chance points, ensured the Hoosiers couldn't come back from an eight-point halftime deficit.

"Our fight was great," coach Darian DeVries said, "especially in the second half. But (the Spartans) go those nine offensive rebounds in the second half, which were killers. They came up with all the loose balls and big plays.

"Our guys hung around, but they couldn't get enough offensive players to get over the hump. They were leaving it all out there."

Tucker DeVries opened IU's scoring with a 3-pointer, but Michigan State pushed ahead 9-3.

After IU began 1-for-8 from the field, forward Sam Alexis powered in a layup and completed a three-point play. Tucker DeVries followed with a steal and a basket to make it 14-10. Michigan State responded with seven straight points. Tucker DeVries ended that run with three free throws.

Triples from guard Nick Dorn and Wilkerson, and then a Dorn free throw left IU trailing 28-20 with 8:20 left.

Michigan State pushed ahead by 13. Wilkerson hit a 3-pointer. Guard Conor Enright followed with another. IU closed within 41-34 with two minutes left. A Tucker DeVries 3-pointer made it 45-37 at halftime. DeVries led IU with 13 points. Wilkerson added 10.

Second-half urgency started with a Tucker DeVries 3-pointer and seven Wilkerson points to cut the Spartans' lead to six points after seven minutes. A Wilkerson layup and then a 3-pointer twice cut the lead to five.

The Hoosiers kept pushing. The Spartans kept pushing back. A Tucker DeVries basket got IU within 72-64 with three minutes left.

But with Michigan State's Fears Jr., Jaxon Kohler, and Kur Teng all making plays (they combined for 60 points and 19 rebounds), IU got no closer.

Now comes its final two games of the season -- hosting Minnesota on Wednesday and playing at Ohio State on Saturday. The Big Ten tourney in Chicago follows.

"We're not playing our best," Wilkerson said. "There are a lot of things we have to fix.

"We're playing some good teams. We have to find a way to get back to the way we were playing at the end of January and beginning of February (when IU won five of six games). If we get back to that, we'll be good in March.

"We have to finish strong. It's one step in front of the next. Try to make a run in the Big Ten tournament and hopefully we'll be where we want to be."