Thieme hit a layup with 2:24 left for a 63-61 lead, Gonzaga’s first of the game. The Zags scored just one more point when Timme made the second of two free throws with 1:51 left. Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther was called for a trip with 31 seconds left and Michigan State’s Jaden Akins missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer. Strauter had 13 points and nine rebounds and Nolan Hickman scored 10 for Gonzaga (2-0). Michigan State big man Mady Sissoko scored 10 of his 14 points in the first half, but picked up his third foul early in the second half and didn’t have much of an impact the rest of the way. The Spartans (1-1) led 45-33 three minutes into the second half before Timme and the Zags went on an 11-0 run to pull within 45-44. Timme made a spin move layup, was fouled and made the free throw, then fed Rasir Bolton for a baseline jumper to close within three points. Efton Reid III’s slam dunk put the Zags up 45-44. Tyson Walker made a layup with 12:10 left to snap MSU’s five-minute scoring drought. As impressive as he was overall, Timme made just four of 10 free throws and could give the Zags a cushion late in the game. The game was played 11 years to the day when North Carolina beat Michigan State on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson at North Island NAS, with then-President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle watching from the courtside. The teams wore camouflage uniforms with the USA on the back. Just before the start of the second half, the crowd rose for the sunset flag. The crowd of 3,000 consisted mainly of sailors from the aircraft carrier as well as fans of both teams. Michigan State led 38-31 at halftime, largely on the strength of the 6-foot-6 Sissoko’s strong inside game. Sissoko had three slam dunks in the final 5 minutes of the half, including an alley-oop pass from AJ Hoggard. His final two dunks helped the Spartans take control. Michigan State had back-to-back steals, which had coach Tom Izzo pumping his fist emphatically. Neither team was afraid to take a 3-pointer and each team made a shot from behind the arc in the first two minutes. The wind appeared to affect only one 3-point shot, as the six-tiered collision tower and scoreboard blocked most of the Pacific Ocean wind.
