Michigan State rolls to 87-62 victory over Bryant in March Madness
AP
Mar 22, 2025
CLEVELAND (AP) Coen Carr came off the bench and had a career-high 18 points and nine rebounds as second-seeded Michigan State rolled to a 87-62 victory over No. 15 seed Bryant Bulldogs on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Jase Richardson added 15 points for coach Tom Izzo's Spartans (28-6), who trailed for most of the first 15 minutes before taking control.
Michigan State, which has one of the deepest squads in the 68-team field, had five players score in double figures.
Michigan State will face 10th-seeded New Mexico on Sunday in the second round of the South Region. The Lobos advanced with a 75-66 victory over Marquette.
“Let’s be fair to them, they came out and punched us right in the mouth, hit some shots early, got some rebounds early, turned us over,” Izzo said. “And then Coen came in and really ignited us.”
Rafael Pinzon led Bryant (23-12) with 21 points and Earl Timberlake scored 14.
“I’m proud of the guys. They did not back down. Even when it started to spiral a little bit, some of those huddles they were pretty locked in,” coach Phil Martelli Jr. said.
The Bulldogs scored the game's first five points and stuck with the Spartans for most of the first half. Keyshawn Mitchell's 3-pointer put the Bulldogs up 24-21 before Michigan State responded with a 10-0 run. Carr had the first five points in the burst and scored 15 points in the first half.
“They had me playing the five a little bit more, so I had to run my lane, run to the rim, so that’s all I was trying to do,” Carr said. “I just felt like I get to make those plays and my teammates feed off them every time so I keep doing that and I feel like that’s kind of my job on this team.”
Timberlake, the America East Conference Player of the Year, also had four rebounds and five assists despite going to the locker room with seven minutes remaining in the first half after suffering a cut on his forehead after taking a hard foul from Michigan State’s Carson Cooper while going for a rebound.
“My head is ringing right now. I just wanted to come out there and be there for my guys, bloody or not,” Timberlake said.
Michigan State outrebounded Bryant 54-29 and also pulled down a season-high 21 offensive rebounds.
“We didn’t really make all the shots, so just for them to give us second-chance opportunities, just another chance to win the game and help us extend the lead. Coen obviously just giving us second-chance opportunities, and we capitalized off that,” Richardson said.
Izzo is 3-1 against the Pitino family in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans beat Richard Pitino when he was at Minnesota in the second round in 2019. Izzo is 2-1 against Rick Pitino.
“I know Richard and I know Rick. Damn families ruining my life here,” Izzo said in looking ahead to Sunday's matchup.
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1st Half
BRY
Bulldogs
28
MIST
Spartans
33
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Barry Evans vs. Szymon Zapala (Jaden Akins gains possession)
19:36
Jaxon Kohler misses two point jump shot
19:34
Barry Evans defensive rebound
19:25
+3
Barry Evans makes three point jump shot (Earl Timberlake assists)
3-0
19:00
Jase Richardson misses three point jump shot
18:58
Keyshawn Mitchell defensive rebound
18:51
+2
Earl Timberlake makes two point layup
5-0
18:23
Jeremy Fears Jr. misses two point jump shot
18:21
Keyshawn Mitchell defensive rebound
18:07
Barry Evans misses two point layup
18:05
Jaden Akins defensive rebound
17:58
Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot
17:56
Earl Timberlake defensive rebound
17:56
Szymon Zapala personal foul
17:27
Keyshawn Mitchell misses three point jump shot
17:25
Jase Richardson defensive rebound
17:23
Earl Timberlake shooting foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
17:23
Jaden Akins misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:23
+1
Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 2 of 2
5-1
17:07
Rafael Pinzon misses two point jump shot
17:05
Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
16:54
+3
Jaden Akins makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)
5-4
16:28
+2
Earl Timberlake makes two point jump shot
7-4
16:16
Jaden Akins misses two point layup
16:14
Barry Evans defensive rebound
16:05
Barry Evans misses two point jump shot
16:03
Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
15:51
+2
Jaxon Kohler makes two point jump shot
7-6
15:38
Earl Timberlake misses two point jump shot
15:36
Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
15:35
Connor Withers shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
15:35
TV timeout
15:35
Jeremy Fears Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:35
+1
Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-7
15:20
Jakai Robinson misses two point layup
15:18
Jaden Akins defensive rebound
14:52
Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot
14:50
Rafael Pinzon defensive rebound
14:34
Rafael Pinzon misses three point jump shot
14:32
Jakai Robinson offensive rebound
14:20
Earl Timberlake misses two point layup
14:18
Jase Richardson defensive rebound
14:11
+3
Tre Holloman makes three point jump shot (Jase Richardson assists)
7-10
13:50
Rafael Pinzon misses three point jump shot
13:48
Coen Carr defensive rebound
13:38
Carson Cooper turnover (bad pass)
13:28
+3
Connor Withers makes three point jump shot (Earl Timberlake assists)
10-10
13:10
+2
Coen Carr makes two point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)
10-12
12:57
Rafael Pinzon misses three point jump shot
12:55
Carson Cooper defensive rebound
12:47
Frankie Fidler misses three point jump shot
12:45
Earl Timberlake defensive rebound
12:24
+2
Rafael Pinzon makes two point jump shot
12-12
12:17
Kvonn Cramer personal foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
12:12
Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot
12:10
Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
12:07
Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (traveling)
11:53
Earl Timberlake misses two point jump shot
11:51
Keyshawn Mitchell personal foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul)
11:51
TV timeout
11:27
+2
Coen Carr makes two point layup
12-14
11:10
Rafael Pinzon misses two point jump shot
11:08
Keyshawn Mitchell offensive rebound
11:08
Keyshawn Mitchell misses two point layup
11:06
Earl Timberlake offensive rebound
11:06
Tre Holloman personal foul (Earl Timberlake draws the foul)
10:57
Rafael Pinzon misses two point jump shot
10:55
Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
10:51
Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (bad pass)
10:39
Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (Barry Evans draws the foul)
10:26
+2
Barry Evans makes two point dunk
14-14
9:58
Keyshawn Mitchell shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
9:58
Jeremy Fears Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:58
+1
Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
14-15
9:41
+2
Kvonn Cramer makes two point layup (Barry Evans assists)
16-15
9:24
Kvonn Cramer blocks Jaxon Kohler's two point jump shot
9:22
Rafael Pinzon defensive rebound
9:16
+3
Rafael Pinzon makes three point jump shot (Earl Timberlake assists)
19-15
9:03
Earl Timberlake blocks Frankie Fidler's two point jump shot
9:01
Kvonn Cramer defensive rebound
8:53
Connor Withers misses three point jump shot
8:51
Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
8:44
+2
Jase Richardson makes two point layup
19-17
8:44
Kvonn Cramer shooting foul (Jase Richardson draws the foul)
8:44
Jase Richardson misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:44
Connor Withers defensive rebound
8:29
Jeremy Fears Jr. blocks Kvonn Cramer's two point dunk
8:27
Bulldogs offensive rebound
8:16
Earl Timberlake misses two point jump shot
8:14
Jaden Akins defensive rebound
8:13
Kvonn Cramer personal foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
8:13
Jaden Akins misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:13
Barry Evans defensive rebound
8:03
Rafael Pinzon misses three point jump shot
8:01
Carson Cooper defensive rebound
7:41
Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot
7:39
Coen Carr offensive rebound
7:39
Connor Withers blocks Jaden Akins's three point jump shot
7:37
Rafael Pinzon defensive rebound
7:21
Earl Timberlake misses two point layup
7:19
Carson Cooper personal foul (Earl Timberlake draws the foul)
7:19
TV timeout
7:10
Connor Withers turnover (bad pass)
7:05
+2
Coen Carr makes two point layup (Tre Holloman assists)
19-19
6:46
+2
Rafael Pinzon makes two point jump shot
21-19
6:26
Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
6:24
Rafael Pinzon defensive rebound
6:13
Rafael Pinzon misses three point jump shot
6:11
Spartans defensive rebound
5:55
Barry Evans shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
5:55
+1
Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 2
21-20
5:55
+1
Coen Carr makes regular free throw 2 of 2
21-21
5:37
Barry Evans misses three point jump shot
5:35
Spartans defensive rebound
5:20
Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Jakai Robinson steals)
5:11
+3
Keyshawn Mitchell makes three point jump shot (Rafael Pinzon assists)
24-21
4:49
Carson Cooper misses two point layup
4:47
Carson Cooper offensive rebound
4:43
Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
4:41
Coen Carr offensive rebound
4:41
+2
Coen Carr makes two point dunk
24-23
4:13
Rafael Pinzon misses two point jump shot
4:11
Jaden Akins defensive rebound
4:06
+2
Coen Carr makes two point layup (Jaden Akins assists)
24-25
4:06
Connor Withers shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
4:06
+1
Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 1
24-26
3:39
Connor Withers misses three point jump shot
3:37
Coen Carr defensive rebound
3:32
TV timeout
3:12
Jaxon Kohler offensive foul (Earl Timberlake draws the foul)
3:12
Jaxon Kohler turnover (offensive foul)
2:49
Rafael Pinzon turnover (bad pass)
2:46
+2
Frankie Fidler makes two point layup (Tre Holloman assists)
24-28
2:34
Barry Evans misses two point jump shot
2:32
Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
2:19
+3
Jase Richardson makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)
24-31
2:15
Bulldogs 30 second timeout
2:15
TV timeout
2:05
+2
Earl Timberlake makes two point layup (Barry Evans assists)
26-31
1:48
Frankie Fidler turnover (bad pass)
1:40
Jaxon Kohler personal foul (Earl Timberlake draws the foul)
1:34
Rafael Pinzon misses two point jump shot
1:32
Carson Cooper defensive rebound
1:15
Coen Carr misses two point layup
1:13
Keyshawn Mitchell defensive rebound
1:01
Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (Earl Timberlake draws the foul)