EAST LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – It took one extra period but Michigan State University is back to their ways of beating top notch basketball programs as they knocked off #4 Kentucky, 86-77, in the Champions Classic.

Malik Hall become Mr. Showtime with two key dunks at the end of regulation and the first overtime. With 3.7 seconds left in regulation, Hall broke around from the top of the key to become free down low for a pass from A.J. Hoggard for a slam dunk tying the game at 62. Kentucky then missed a three-pointer to send the game into the first overtime tied at 62. It was the Hall, again, at the end of the first overtime making a show as he freed himself up on the fast break to receive a pass from Tyson Walker for another dunk tying the game at 71 with two seconds left. Kentucky didn’t have a chance to get a good shot off as the game went to a second overtime.

MORE NEWS: Detroit School’s Office of Inspector General Uncovered $3.5M in Fraud in 2023-24

MSU then outscored Kentucky, 15-6, in the second overtime for the seven-point win. Hall finished off the scoring with two made free throws for the 86-77 win.

Four players were in double figures for the Spartans as Joey Hauser led the way with 23 points and eight rebounds. Hall finished with 20 points and five rebounds while Mady Sisko recorded 16 points and eight rebounds. Tyson Walker came away with 14 points. MSU out rebounded Kentucky, 45-38, and shot 40 percent from the floor making 36 percent from the arc. Kentucky was held to 38 percent from the floor and only made 29 percent of their three-pointers.

It was a back and forth first half as Kentucky took a 9-4 lead with 13 minutes to go. They had a seven-point lead, 20-13, with 8:42 on the clock. Over the next minute and a half, MSU went on an 8-0 run for a 21-20 lead on a Hauser three-pointer. By the three-minute mark, Kentucky held a four-point lead, 30-26, but a 10-4 run put MSU up by two at the half, 36-34, on a Hall made three-pointer.

 Both teams went back and forth in the second half. MSU moved the lead to five points, 39-34 on a Sissoko free throw. Two more ties took place before Kentucky went up 46-42 with 13: 28 left to play. Pierre Brooks tied the game at 46 for MSU at the 10:21 mark but Kentucky pushed ahead for a four-point lead, 58-54, with 3:53 left. Hauser tied the game at 58 with 2:18 left on a jumper but with 14 seconds left Kentucky retook the lead, 62-60. That’s when Mr. Showtime Hall took over and tied the game on a dunk.

MSU is now 2-1 on the season and plays next on Nov. 18 against Villanova at 8:00 p.m.