Michigan St Falls Into 3-Way Tie For Big Ten Title
LARRY LAGE,AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State's team posed for pictures — without a smile seen — in front of a Big Ten championship banner during a postgame ceremony to honor its seniors.
The fifth-ranked Spartans needed one more win to truly celebrate.
William Buford made a high-arcing jumper from the top of the key with 1 second left, lifting No. 10 Ohio State to a 72-70 win over Michigan State on Sunday that forged a three-way tie for the conference title.
"I wish I didn't have to have this press conference," said Spartans coach Tom Izzo, looking and sounding somber. "You just can't express into words how disappointed I am and I can't express how proud I am of what we accomplished."
To make matters worse, though, Michigan State lost standout freshman Branden Dawson to a left knee injury in the first half. He will miss the rest of the season.
Michigan State (24-7, 13-5) started the season unranked and surged near the top of The Associated Press poll with a seven-game winning streak that created a two-game lead in the Big Ten with two games left in the regular season.
But they lost at Indiana on Tuesday and blew a 15-point lead against Ohio State, forcing the Spartans to settle for sharing the crown — their third in four years — with Ohio State and Michigan.
"No excuses," Izzo said. "We just didn't get it done."
Michigan State senior Draymond Green said the latest setback rivaled the one he experienced in the 2009 NCAA final.
"It's up there with the toughest," he said.
Green had a chance to put the Spartans ahead in his final home game with 32 seconds left, but missed a long fadeaway from the right wing.
"We weren't trying to get that," Izzo acknowledged. "But it was such a meat market in there — both ways. It was probably the most physical game I've ever been involved with — both ways."
Just before the buzzer, Green had a heave that missed the mark.
Buford's game-winning shot made a once-raucous arena nearly silent and gave a group of people elsewhere in the state a reason to shout with joy.
The Buckeyes (25-6, 13-5) earned a share of their third straight conference championship — and fifth in seven years — with the Spartans and No. 13 Michigan.
The Wolverines, who won their first Big Ten title since 1986, watched their rivals play from the school's basketball facility in Ann Arbor after winning at Penn State earlier in the day.
"It was silent the whole time (Buford's shot) was in the air," said Michigan guard Trey Burke, who is from Columbus, Ohio. "Once it went in, everybody just flooded the hallway, jumping up and down."
Michigan State will be the top-seeded team in the Big Ten tournament, which begins Thursday in Indianapolis. Michigan will be No. 2 and Ohio State No. 3.
Buford scored just four points when Michigan State ended Ohio State's 39-game home winning streak last month. He returned the favor with his game-winning shot and by scoring 19 of his 25 points in the second half, handing the Spartans their first loss at home this season.
Green seemed too fired up about playing in his last home game, shooting a long airball on his first attempt from the baseline and finishing 6 of 18 from the field with 19 points, 12 rebounds and a game-high four turnovers.
Brandon Wood scored 15 points and Derrick Nix had 11 off the bench, while Keith Appling was held to two of his 11 points after halftime for the Spartans.
Even with Michigan State's students on spring break, there was big-game buzz in the Breslin Center and the fans had plenty to stand and cheer about when the Spartans went on a 12-0 run to take a 19-7 lead.
"It was looking pretty bleak," Ohio State coach Thad Matta said.
Michigan State led 24-9 midway through the first half, then had a setback that might linger as a problem heading into the Big Ten tournament this week and the NCAA tournament the following week.
Dawson injured his left knee with 10:16 left in the first half. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward, who ranks third on the team in scoring, second in rebounds and perhaps first in athletic ability, rubbed his left knee while his leg was propped up on a chair and later walked gingerly to the locker room.
After the game, Michigan State said Dawson has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
Jared Sullinger missed his first five shots and was 2 of 10 in the first half, but stayed active and aggressive enough to make all four of his free throws and to score eight points to help Ohio State trail by just nine at halftime.
The Buckeyes scored the first six points of the second half and went ahead 52-51 with 9:53 left to take their first lead since scoring the game's first two points.
For the rest of the game, each team took a turn with a small lead, exchanging shots and banging bodies in a test that should prepare both for the rest of the month. In the second half, there were nine lead changes and seven ties.
"This is about as high a level game as you can see," Matta said. "I'm happy we were on this side of it."
When it was Izzo's turn to address the crowd that stayed to celebrate his seniors, he vowed that the Spartans would bounce back at the Big Ten tournament.
"We're going to go win our championship back," he said.
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AP Sports Writer Noah Trister in Ann Arbor, Mich., contributed to this report.
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Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage
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