Michigan State looks to stay hot vs Maryland ohiostandard.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ohiostandard.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Illinois v Michigan State | Rey Del Rio/Getty Images
It s getting to be that time of year, as March Madness is right around the corner. We re just more than a week from the NCAA Tournament kicking off.
At this point of the season we all know who the prohibitive favorites to take home a title are. Both Gonzaga and Baylor have jumped out from the pack and really anyone inside the top 10 has a shot to win it all. But there a few teams lurking just outside mainstream thought that have a great chance to make deep runs in the tournament.
Mar. 9—A little more than two weeks ago, Michigan State finding a path to the NCAA Tournament seemed unlikely, at best. Actually, it was hard to find anyone, outside of the most ardent Spartans supporter or someone in the locker room, who believed Michigan State would extend its tournament streak to 23 seasons. A lot of it had to do with the daunting schedule the Spartans faced. Over the final .
This wasn't how I wanted to be reminded of the 2013 Final Four team.
Michigan's loss to end the regular season at Michigan State didn't cost them a Big Ten title, unlike 2013's finale, but there are some parallels. This team has now dropped two of their last three and is suddenly dealing with injury scares; Eli Brooks returned to the bench in a walking boot after rolling his right ankle while landing on Marcus Bingham and Franz Wagner reportedly limped off the floor after an awkward landing on his shot attempt just after the final buzzer.
The 2013 squad had the order the other way around. They started 20-1 but lost starting center Jordan Morgan to a badly sprained ankle that either kept him out or limited his effectiveness for much of the rest of the season. That team lost five of their last ten regular season games, one to a bad Penn State team, before falling apart in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals against Wisconsin.
Those parallels feel less comforting giv
Carlos Osorio/Associated Press
Michigan State avenged its defeat to No. 2 Michigan three days ago, capping off its regular season with a 70-64 victory over the Wolverines on Sunday at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
With 1:12 remaining in the second half, Hunter Dickinson made it a two-point game after scoring inside and hitting his free throw. Joshua Langford responded with a three-pointer to give the Spartans a five-point cushion with 49 seconds to play.
CBS Sports CBB @CBSSportsCBB
EARLY ONIONS https://t.co/tNNoBc2F91
While the Wolverines continued to knock on the door, Michigan State managed to seal the win from the charity stripe.