No. 2 Gonzaga recovered from a 12-point second half deficit on Friday night with a thrilling 64-63 win over Michigan in the first college basketball game played on an aircraft carrier in a decade. His USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego hosted the match, highlighting the first week of the season for the Armed Forces Classic Carrier Edition, a unique setting delivered in a big way.
The game’s spectacle, which takes place on a giant naval vessel, provided entertainment value on its own, but the game itself stole the show. The Spartans commanded the action early on, leading 45–33 early in the second half, but then Drew Timm took over. Gonzaga’s senior forward led all scorers with 22 points and he had 13 rebounds as he carried the Bulldogs down the stretch. CBS Sports Preseason Player of the Year faced every player Michigan State threw at him, and he had five fouls from both Spartan frontcourt starters, including Michigan State center Mady Sissoko. I pulled. Jr. scored a career-high 14 points and had a career-high nine rebounds, but was limited to just 11 minutes in the second half and fouled out with 1 minute and 51 seconds remaining. We failed to score on the last few possessions of the game.
A last-second shot from Jaden Akins from the top of the key bounced off the mark and allowed the Bulldogs to emerge victorious from a memorable Veterans Day showdown.
It took a while, but Tim shines late
For casual college basketball fans joining the sport for the first time this season, their reaction to seeing Tim on the floor might have been, “Wow, is that guy still playing?” . The answer is yes. If his performance is any indication, Tim could take his game to an even higher level this season. When Zags desperately needed a spark, he provided one in terms of both emotional displays and tangible directing on the court. Tim didn’t leave the floor in the second half while he scored 11 points and earned his MVP honors of the game in 7:02 of the final.
Tim really found his rhythm when Gonzaga’s big team Anton Watson and Efton Reid came on the bench with four fouls each. Once he had the space to operate, it was essentially impossible for Michigan to defend.
spartans need a star
Michigan State hasn’t returned any double-figure scoring players from last season’s team, and it’s unclear if this version of the Spartans will have a go-to player. Sissoko’s career-best offensive performance was an unexpected help, but proved to be an unsustainable source of production for Michigan State. Junior guard AJ Hoggard attacked the paint relentlessly and free throws in the second half of the Spartans scored him 7 points, but he was 5-0 from the field in the first half.
Michigan finished pointless in the final 2:07 of the game, and the lack of an offensive alpha was clearly part of the problem. ‘s Joey Hauser fouled out with 4:46 remaining without scoring a point. There was a lot to like about how the Spartans started the game with their inner toughness and defensive tenacity. These traits have led to several migration baskets. However, the team’s aggressive questions were seen until the end.
paying tribute
In a post-game interview with ESPN, Tim and Gonzaga’s coach, Mark Few, were enthusiastic about their experience playing aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The 2011 and his 2012 replayed “Carrier Classic” series garnered mixed reviews, but the series ended without incident, partly because weather problems interfered with several contests. Temperatures were in the low to mid 60s for him during the match, with clear skies and moderate winds. The unusual setting had a definite impact on his shooting outside the game, as Michigan State and Gonzaga combined made his 3-point shots 7 of 34. But overall, the return to playing on an aircraft carrier seemed like a big hit.
