Golden Eagles grounded as Marquette falls to Michigan State in NCAA Tournament

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CBS 58) -- The #7 seeded Michigan State Spartans ousted the #2 seeded Marquette Golden Eagles from the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 19, securing a 69-60 victory.

The Spartans' defense and balanced offensive effort helped them overpower the Golden Eagles, who struggled with their shooting throughout the game.

Michigan State's Tyson Walker led all scorers with 23 points, shooting 8-17 from the field and 7-8 from the free-throw line. Teammate A.J. Hoggard contributed 13 points, while Joey Hauser and Mady Sissoko chipped in 14 and 8 points, respectively. The Spartans shot 44.4% from the field (24-54) and 82.6% from the charity stripe (19-23).

On the other hand, Marquette's offense sputtered, shooting only 38.5% from the field (20-52) and only 64.3% from the free-throw line (9-14). The Golden Eagles were led by Olivier-Maxence Prosper, who scored 16 points on 5-11 shooting. Kam Jones added 14 points, while Oso Ighodaro contributed 10 points and was 4-6 from the field.

Michigan State's defense played a crucial role in the upset, keeping Marquette's sharpshooters in check. Tyler Kolek and Stevie Mitchell, who combined for 13 points on 4-14 shooting, were held below their season averages.

In addition to their stifling defense, the Spartans displayed great ball movement and shared the scoring load, with five players scoring at least eight points.

The Spartans' victory propels them to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen where they will face #3 seeded Kansas State.