Michigan State vs. Ohio State score, takeaways: No. 13 Buckeyes cruise past Spartans in Big Ten clash

The Buckeyes became the first Big Ten team this season to notch eight conference victories on Sunday

Ohio State prolonged Michigan State's misery on Sunday with a 79-62 win over the Spartans, who have now lost three in a row and six of their last eight entering a new month that will be critical for their fading NCAA Tournament hopes. The win was the sixth in seven games for the No. 13 Buckeyes (14-4, 8-4 Big Ten), who are just the second Big Ten team to reach eight league victories.

Sophomore forward E.J. Liddell led the Buckeyes with 20 points while Justice Sueing contributed 17. Joshua Langford topped the scoring chart for Michigan State with 14, but he needed 15 shots to reach that mark as the Spartans again struggled from the field. After an embarrassing 67-37 loss to Rutgers earlier in the week in their first game back from a 20-day pause related to COVID-19, Michigan State looked a bit more comfortable offensively early in the first half. But the Spartans (8-6, 2-6) began to struggle late in the first half and shot just 25% from the field in the second half.

Michigan State closed within 68-59 with an Aaron Henry steal and score at the 4:20 mark but never got any closer as the Buckeyes closed out the game at the free-throw line. Ohio State hit 23 of 29 free throws in the game, including 14 of 16 in the second half to counterbalance a 1-of-6 effort from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes.

Here are three takeaways from Sunday's Big Ten showdown. 

1. E.J. Liddell is a force

Liddell is often overlooked in a Big Ten that's stocked full of quality big men. That should no longer be the case as the somewhat undersized sophomore continues to assert his will against quality foes. At 6-foot-7, Liddell lacks the height of the league's star bigs like Luka Garza, Kofi Cockburn and Hunter Dickinson. But he brings every bit of the physicality that those players provide, and he also provides an outside threat. Liddell began the scoring for Ohio State with a 3-pointer on Sunday, and it set the tone for yet another big game. Liddell has now reached 20 points in four of the Buckeyes' past five games while asserting himself as the team's go-to option. The Belleville, Illinois, native was a solid role player for Ohio State last season, but his evolution into a star is raising the ceiling of what this team can accomplish.

2. Spartans still tinkering

Langford reentered the starting lineup after coming off the bench against Rutgers following a bout with COVID-19. The redshirt senior shooting guard took A.J. Hoggard's place with the starters after after Hoggard had notched his fourth start of the year against the Scarlet Knights. Eight players have logged starts for Michigan State this season, and the fact that the lineup still isn't settled shows Izzo's lack of comfort with his team. MSU used 11 players in the first half, and that was with junior forward Gabe Brown still sidelined. In short, the Spartans are entering February with a sprawling rotation, and that's not a good thing. The fact that Izzo hasn't been able to whittle it down to eight or nine guys is indicative of the fact that not enough players have stepped up to make themselves indispensable.

3. Historical talk

Get ready for a month full of discussion over how Michigan State could miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1997, which was Izzo's second season as coach. The Spartans entered Sunday's game ranked No. 96 in the NET due to a glaring lack of quality victories. As things stand now, a win over Rutgers on Jan. 5 is the best on the MSU resume. So, oddly enough, Michigan State fans should probably cheer for Duke during the regular season's final month. The Spartans beat the Blue Devils back on Dec. 1 when both teams were ranked in the top 10. Now, both are on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament picture. A strong finish for Duke would make the win over the Blue Devils look a lot better for Michigan State and help keep Izzo's streak of 22 straight NCAA Tournament appearances alive.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 3:16 pm ET · David Cobb]

Final: No. 13 Ohio State 79. Ohio State 62.

Buckeyes have won 6 of 7. Sparty has lost three in a row. Kinda surreal to see Michigan State in this situation after it was ranked No. 4 in December.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 3:13 pm ET · David Cobb]

Tom Izzo's second season was the last time Michigan State missed the NCAA Tournament. That was 1997. Going to require an unbelievable February for these Spartans to avoid making history for the wrong reasons.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 3:07 pm ET · David Cobb]

A couple of FTs from Langford bring MSU with 72-62 with 3:19 remaining. Spartans are still clawing but just can't seem to get any traction whenever it gets to 9 or 10 points.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:59 pm ET · David Cobb]

Michigan State closed with 68-59 with an Aaron Henry steal and score at the 4:20 mark. But it's back to 70-59 after a couple Duane Washington FTs with 4:02 to go.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:53 pm ET · David Cobb]

The Buckeyes have made 5 of their last 7 from the field and lead 68-53 with 5:32 to play.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:47 pm ET · David Cobb]

Sparty hasn't hit a 2-point shot since the 14:39 mark. Last three FGs have come from beyond the arc. 66-52 Ohio State with 6:56 to go.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:41 pm ET · David Cobb]

Wow, it's a little too early to declare a dagger. But Duane Washington's contested 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer is a total backbreaker for MSU. Puts Ohio State up 59-41. Second time this half that a desperation heave at the shot clock buzzer has hit for the Buckeyes.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:40 pm ET · David Cobb]

This is not a particularly hefty Ohio State team, but it seems like the Buckeyes are winning the toughness battle. 56-41 Buckeyes with under 10 minutes to go.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:32 pm ET · David Cobb]

Marcus Bingham had a prime opportunity for an and-1 that could have given Michigan State a needed jolt. But his layup bricks off. He still hit both free throws, but that play kinda encapsulates Michigan State's day to this point. 50-38 Buckeyes with 11:51 left.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:29 pm ET · David Cobb]

Wow, Seth Towns throws up a ridiculous shot at the shot-clock buzzer and hits it to put Ohio State up 50-36 with 12:34 to go.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:22 pm ET · David Cobb]

It's deteriorated into an ugly mess of missed shots, loose balls and generally choppy play here early in the second half. Buckeyes up 46-34 with 15:50 left.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:19 pm ET · David Cobb]

Joshua Langford has a pretty shot and has knocked down a couple today. The problem is that no one is getting dribble penetration to cause a defense to collapse for the kick out. Watts, Henry or someone could change the dynamics of this offense if they could become a consistent threat to break down a defender off the dribble.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:15 pm ET · David Cobb]

Back at it, and E.J. Liddell becomes the first to reach 10 points as he knocks down a pair of FTs for the first points of the half. Spartans down 44-30 and gonna need a major rally.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 2:00 pm ET · David Cobb]

You don't even feel like Ohio State is chucking a ton of 3-pointers watching the Buckeyes in real time. But they are among the league leaders in most 3-point metrics and are 5-of-12 so far in this one. 42-30 Buckeyes at the half. E.J. Liddell leads OSU with 9, while Joey Hauser has 9 for MSU.

[Jan 31, 2021 at 1:46 pm ET · David Cobb]

Michigan State's player count is up to 12, and that's with Gabe Brown still missing. Joey Hauser's got 9, but no one else is really getting rhythm looks for the Spartans. 37-28 for OSU with 3:11 to go in the half.