Michigan State Spartans Secure Big Ten Title with Victory Over Iowa

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Michigan State Spartans clinched the outright Big Ten Conference championship on March 6, 2025, following a 91-84 victory against Iowa. With this win, the Spartans secured their 11th regular season title under Head Coach Tom Izzo, who now ties with legendary coaches Bob Knight and Piggy Lambert for the most in conference history.

The Spartans entered the contest with a 15-3 conference record and improved to 25-5 overall. The pivotal matchup marked their first outright conference title since 2020, while Iowa fell to 15-15 overall and 6-13 in league play.

Despite trailing 58-48 with just over 12 minutes remaining, the Spartans rallied with a decisive 19-2 run, demonstrating their resilience and offensive prowess. The team scored an impressive 61 points in the second half, which allowed them to secure their sixth consecutive victory.

Senior guard A.J. Hoggard led the Spartans with 22 points, complemented by contributions from several teammates. Senior forward Joey Hauser and junior forward Malik Hall each added 15 points, while redshirt freshman guard Jaden Akins scored 14 points and junior guard Tyson Walker contributed 11 points.

“We struggled early, but our defense really stepped up in the second half. Getting open looks was key,” Hoggard stated following the game. “We stayed patient and focused, and that really paid off.”

Michigan State’s shooting percentage was remarkable; they connected on 50.8 percent of their attempts (31-of-61), marking the 11th time this season they have shot over 50 percent. They have remained undefeated in those games, and it further emphasizes their capacity to maintain control of matches.

The Spartans also out-rebounded their opponents for the 27th time this season and now hold a 23-4 record when doing so. Izzo noted the significance of teamwork, as Michigan State saw five players scoring in double figures and received 25 points from their bench.

Looking ahead, Michigan State will close out the regular season on March 9 against No. 17 Michigan at the Breslin Center. This clash, which promises to be dramatic given the rivalry, is set to begin at 12 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS.

“It feels great to get back to winning titles. We’ve worked hard for this,” Izzo said. “But we know there’s more to focus on, like the upcoming tournament and how we improve as a team.”