Michigan State Advances Past New Mexico in NCAA Tournament
CLEVELAND—Jaden Akins led the way for second-seeded Michigan State, scoring 16 points in a crucial 71-63 victory over 10th-seeded New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA Tournament South Region on Sunday night. The Spartans, now 29-6, displayed resilience in the final minutes, pulling away decisively to secure their place in the regional semifinals, where they’ll face sixth-seeded Ole Miss on Friday. The Rebels triumphed over third-seeded Iowa State 91-78.
Reflecting on the win, Akins noted, "Good teams find a way to win, and that’s what we did." His performance, along with 14 points from Tre Holloman and 10 from Frankie Fidler off the bench, helped Michigan State stabilize after a disjointed start.
Despite New Mexico’s Nelly Junior Joseph matching Akins’ scoring output with 16 points, foul trouble hampered his effectiveness, limiting him to 29 minutes before fouling out with 2:12 remaining. The Lobos (27-8) also saw their Player of the Year, Donovan Dent, score 14 points, but they struggled with free throws, making only 5 of 10 compared to Michigan State’s 19 of 28.
New Mexico initially showed strong form, jumping to a 10-2 lead and going into halftime ahead 31-29. Coach Richard Pitino lamented the impact of foul trouble: "Foul trouble for us was very difficult," he said.
Late in the game, with the score tied at 51, Akins drained a critical 3-pointer, igniting a 7-0 run that shifted the momentum decisively in Michigan State’s favor. Coach Tom Izzo praised his team’s defensive improvements, stating, "I thought we got our break going when we got our defense going."
As Michigan State prepares for the upcoming challenge against Ole Miss, the Spartans aim to extend their NCAA tournament journey further.
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