Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tre Holloman and Xavier Booker combined for eight points in overtime and Michigan State held off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 on Wednesday night for third place in the Maui Invitational.

Holloman made his first start of the season and led six scorers in double figures with a career-best 19 points for the Spartans (6-2). He scored 16 in the first half on 6-for-6 shooting, including four 3-pointers.

Jaden Akins and Coen Carr scored 14 points apiece, Jeremy Fears Jr. and Frankie Fidler had 13 each and Booker had 12.

Drake Powell scored 18 points, Elliot Cadeau 17 and RJ Davis 16 for the Tar Heels (4-3).

North Carolina’s Seth Trimble sent the game into overtime with a 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation.

Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational | iNFOnews.ca
Michigan State guard Tre Holloman (5) drives against North Carolina guard RJ Davis (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Takeaways

Michigan State: The Spartans played without freshman guard Jase Richardson, who had 18 points in the tournament semifinals against Memphis. Richardson took an elbow to the head against the Tigers on Tuesday.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels faced double-digit halftime deficits in all three games on Maui this week. Michigan State’s 94 points were the most allowed by North Carolina this season.

Key moment

After North Carolina took a 87-86 lead on a pair of free throws by Cadeau, Booker threw down a dunk off an assist from Holloman on Michigan State’s next possession to give his team the lead for good with 2:03 left in overtime.

Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational | iNFOnews.ca
North Carolina forward Ven-Allen Lubin dunks against Michigan State during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Key stat

Michigan State shot 54% from the field and made 24 of 31 from the free-throw line. It scored 50 points in the paint to North Carolina’s 30.

Up next

Both teams next play on Wednesday as Michigan State opens up Big Ten play at Minnesota, while North Carolina plays host to No. 9 Alabama.

Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational | iNFOnews.ca
North Carolina guard RJ Davis, right, passes in front of Michigan State guard Kur Teng, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational | iNFOnews.ca
Michigan State forward Xavier Booker (34) celebrates with teammate Jesse McCulloch, right, after a 94-91 win over North Carolina an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Michigan State holds off No. 12 North Carolina 94-91 in overtime for 3rd at Maui Invitational | iNFOnews.ca
The Michigan State bench reacts to a basket by forward Frankie Fidler against North Carolina during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Maui Invitational Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Lahaina, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

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