Box Score Game Book (pdf)
EAST LANSING, Michigan – The Wofford men’s basketball team was defeated by ninth-ranked Michigan State 72-60 at the Breslin Center on Friday evening. The Terriers were down by five with twelve minutes to go in the second half before the Spartans pulled away.
Wofford is 4-5 overall, while Michigan State is 6-2 on the season. In the battle of Dahlman brothers, Noah had 19 points for the Terriers and also had four rebounds, while his brother Isaiah had two points and an assist. Jamar Diggs added seven points as twelve different Wofford players scored in the game. The Spartans had four players in double-digits, led by Raymar Morgan with 19 points and he added eleven rebounds.
“That is a team that is going to go a long way and if they won the whole thing I would not be the least bit surprised,” said head coach Mike Young. “For our guys to come in here and compete and be in a five-point game at the twelve minute mark and give ourselves a shot is a testimony to the toughness and grit of our guys.
The Terriers scored first with a bucket by Cameron Rundles and built a 9-4 lead at the 15:59 mark after a lay-up from Noah Dahlman. The Spartans tied the game at ten and were up 15-10 at 11:38 in the first half. Wofford tied the game at 17 each at the 6:29 mark before Michigan State used an 8-0 run to take a 25-17 lead.
Michigan State pushed the lead to ten twice in the last four minutes, including a 31-21 lead with 1:33 left in the half. Wofford though had a three by Jason Dawson and a bucket from Kevin Giltner to cut the lead to five at the break.
Wofford opened the second half with a bucket from Noah Dahlman to cut the lead to three at 31-28, but the Spartans quickly got the lead back to ten points at 43-33 with 16:12 on the clock. The Terriers then used an 8-0 run that include five points by Dahlman and a three by Jamar Diggs to cut it to 43-41 with 12:47 left. The Spartans counted with quick run for an eleven point lead.
The Spartans pushed the lead to 16 before a three by Kevin Giltner cut it to 62-49 with 5:01 left in the game. With 1:58 left, Michigan State had an 18-point lead. Wofford scored on a lay-up by Domas Rinksalis and a three by Matt Steelman in the final twenty seconds for the 72-60 final score.
Wofford shot 36.5% from the floor and 30.8% from behind the arc. From the free throw line, the Terriers were 60.0%. The Spartans shot 54.5% overall and 40.0% from three and were 66.7% from the line. Michigan State had a 43-23 lead on rebounds, but Wofford had ten steals and only eight turnovers.
“Once I walked out on the floor and saw the student section, you can’t prepare for that,” said Noah Dahlman. “It was a lifetime experience. It was unbelievable and I am glad I was able to be a part of it. It was a great time to play against my brother and I love competing with him. It was something that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
The Terriers return home for a contest against Appalachian State at Benjamin Johnson Arena on Monday, December 7 at 7:00 pm, the first of three-straight home games after being on the road for eight of the first nine games of the season.
