It wasn't supposed to end like that. Honestly, if you were watching the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans face off against No. 16 Maryland at the XFINITY Center on February 26, 2025, you probably expected overtime. The air in College Park was heavy. Maryland had just erased a nine-point deficit in the final five minutes. The momentum had completely shifted.
Then Tre Holloman happened.
With the score knotted at 55 and the clock bleeding out, Jaxon Kohler grabbed a desperate rebound and shoveled it to Holloman. There were less than three seconds left. Holloman didn't have time to think. He didn't even reach the "M" logo at midcourt before he launched a prayer off one foot.
The ball arced high—stupidly high—against the dark backdrop of the arena rafters.
Swish.
The Michigan State half court shot didn't just win the game; it silenced one of the most hostile crowds in the Big Ten. 58-55. Game over.
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Why This Specific Shot Matters
You see, college basketball is full of "lucky" heaves. We see them every March. But the Holloman shot was different because of the context. Earlier in that same game, Holloman had a brutal turnover at midcourt that actually allowed the Terrapins to tie things up with 42 seconds left. He went from being the potential goat (the bad kind) to the hero in less than a minute.
Tom Izzo, never one to credit pure luck, told reporters afterward that the team actually practices these. "Every day at home, the night before a game... we have the guys go around. Everybody gets a shot at a half-court shot."
It sounds like a gym class game, but for Holloman, it was muscle memory. He had actually made that exact shot in practice the two nights leading up to the Maryland game.
A Quick Look at the Stats
While the final score was low, the drama was peak Big Ten.
- Final Score: MSU 58, Maryland 55
- Holloman’s Line: 9 points, 3 assists, 1 legendary game-winner
- The Drought: This was Michigan State’s first true game-winning buzzer-beater since Korie Lucious took down Maryland (of all teams) in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
The "Kiss the Court" Context
Interestingly, the 2024-2025 season was defined by more than just long-distance buckets. About two weeks after the Maryland miracle, the Spartans were embroiled in a massive controversy involving the half-court logo.
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During Senior Day against Michigan, the Spartans were carrying out their tradition where departing seniors "kiss the court" at the logo. The Michigan players—freshmen Phat Phat Brooks and L.J. Cason—decided to stand right on the logo while it was happening.
It got ugly.
Holloman, still riding the high of his midcourt heroics from earlier in the season, was at the center of the shoving match. It highlights a weird reality in East Lansing: the midcourt logo isn't just a piece of painted wood. It’s a sacred spot for the program. Whether they are launching game-winners from it or kissing it goodbye, the center of the floor is where the drama lives for Izzo’s squad.
Historical Miracles at Michigan State
If you’ve followed Spartan basketball for a while, you know they have a weird history with the half-way line. Before the three-point line was even a thing, a kid named Kevin Smith hit a half-court miracle against Magic Johnson’s Lansing Everett team in the 1977 State Championship.
Smith eventually joined Magic at Michigan State, though they never played together. That 1977 shot only forced overtime (which Magic’s team won), but it set a precedent. At Michigan State, you play until the buzzer sounds. Period.
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Breaking Down the Mechanics
Why did Holloman’s shot go in?
- The Release: He didn't "shot put" the ball. He used a standard, albeit high-effort, shooting motion.
- The Arc: Because he released it so early, the ball had a massive parabola, making the target "wider" as it dropped through the rim.
- The Confidence: Holloman said later he "knew it was good" the second it left his hand.
Most players panic and throw a line drive that clangs off the backboard. Holloman’s shot was a pure swish. It was a basketball "nothing but net" moment that felt scripted for a movie.
What You Can Learn from the Spartan Mentality
If you're a player or a coach looking at this, there's a practical takeaway. It's not about the "prayer" shot itself; it's about the preparation for the improbable. Izzo’s insistence on practicing half-court shots isn't just for fun. It’s for the 0.1% of the time when that is your only option.
The Michigan State half court shot became the highlight of the 2025 season because a junior guard didn't hesitate. He had been there before, even if it was just in an empty gym in East Lansing.
Next time you're watching a game and it looks like it's headed for an extra five minutes, remember Tre Holloman. Sometimes, the most logical play isn't a layup or a set play. Sometimes, it’s just tossing it up from the logo and letting the practice take over.
Actionable Insight for Fans: If you're attending a game at the Breslin Center, watch the pre-game warmups closely. You'll see the guards practicing these deep heaves. It looks like "goofing around," but as Maryland found out the hard way, it's actually the most dangerous weapon in the Spartans' arsenal. Keep an eye on the clock when the game is tied under five seconds—most teams defend the perimeter, but the Spartans are one of the few teams that will actually burn you from 45 feet out.