No. 4 Michigan State was upset 79-76 in overtime by unranked James Madison in their college basketball season opener Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
- The Spartans become the first AP top-5 team to drop their season opener to an unranked opponent since 2005 when they did it against Hawaii, per ESPN. It also marks their first November home loss since 1986.
- Terrence Edwards Jr. paced the Dukes with 24 points while T.J. Bickerstaff added 21 and 14 rebounds. Raekwon Horton’s 3-pointer with 8.6 seconds remaining in overtime proved to be the difference.
- Michigan State guard Tyson Walker led all scorers with 35 points but no other Spartan starter had double-digit production. Tom Izzo’s team struggled from the 3-point line, finishing 1-for-20 beyond the arc, and hit only 62 percent of its free throws.
- The Spartans will look to rebound against Southern Indiana on Thursday while the Dukes face Kent State that same night.
James Madison University:
🐶 Upset No. 4 Michigan State in men’s basketball season opener for second-ranked win in program history
🐶 9-0 in football, one of seven undefeated FBS programs
A great time to be a JMU Duke. pic.twitter.com/xRX5YGhuUp
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 7, 2023
This story will be updated.
