Nebraska Holds On To Beat No. 11 Michigan State, 72-71
LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING (AP) — Shavon Shields scored 28 points, playing through hip pain, and Denzel Valentine missed a shot just before the buzzer to allow Nebraska to hold on for a 72-71 win over No. 11 Michigan State on Wednesday night.
The Cornhuskers (12-8, 4-3 Big Ten) have won four straight, three on the road. They've also won three straight against the Spartans.
Michigan State (17-4, 3-4) has lost three straight and suddenly looks nothing like the top-ranked team it was earlier in the season.
Shields, who left the game with a hip injury in the first half and came back to play after halftime, made a shot to put Nebraska ahead by eight points with 2:31 left.
The Spartans pulled within two with 45.8 seconds to go when Eron Harris connected on a 3-pointer. Shields made a floater over Valentine on the ensuing possession. Valentine's 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left cut the deficit to one point, but he couldn't make one more shot to win for a second straight game. The senior guard didn't connect on a jumper to that could've given Michigan State a win Sunday at Wisconsin.
Valentine finished with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists. Deyonta Davis had 13 points and seven points for the Spartans, who made just 42 percent of their shots and let Nebraska make half of it attempts.
Nebraska's Glynn Watson scored 13 and Tai Webster had 10 points and missed a free throw with four seconds left that gave the Spartans an opportunity to avoid another loss, but they couldn't make the most of the opportunity.
TIP-INS
Nebraska: The Cornhuskers got some relatively good news at halftime when Shields was cleared to return to the game. The senior forward hurt his hip with four-plus minutes left in the first half, and had to be helped off the court as he kept weight off his right foot. Shields showed he was healthy in the second half, making a pair of go-ahead baskets in the opening minute. Midway through the second half, he had his right hip stretched on the sideline before going back in the game slightly hobbled. The next time Nebraska had the ball, he scored a three-play play on a driving layup and free throw to put Nebraska ahead 64-56 with eight-plus minutes left. Shields left the game again, briefly, to get his hip stretched before going back on the court.
Michigan State: The Spartans are struggling in part because Bryn Forbes has lost his shooting touch, especially at home. He was 1 of 8 against Nebraska and scored three points, one home game after going 0 for 5 and scoring just two points in a 17-point loss to Iowa. Forbes had a chance to pull Michigan State within a point, but missed an open 3-pointer with just less than three minutes left. Shields made a shot on the ensuing possession to give the Cornhuskers a 68-62 lead.
UP NEXT
Nebraska hosts Michigan on Saturday.
No. 11 Michigan State hosts No. 7 Maryland on Saturday night.
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