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No. 5 Michigan State Visits Archrival Michigan, Looks To Stay Perfect In Big Ten
Ann Arbor, MI (Sports Network) - Kalin Lucas made a short jumper with 3.5 seconds left and finished with 12 points, as fifth-ranked Michigan State escaped with a 57-56 win over Big 10 rival Michigan at Crisler Arena.
Raymar Morgan had a game-high 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Draymond Green and Durrell Summers each added 10 points for Michigan State (18-3, 8-0 Big Ten), which has won nine straight decisions since a 79-68 setback to Texas back on December 22nd. Green also chipped in with a game-best 10 rebounds.
DeShawn Sims had a team-high 19 points and Manny Harris returned to action and added 16 points, five assists and five steals for Michigan (10-10, 3-5), which has dropped three in a row, including a 69-59 loss at Purdue on Saturday.
Harris returned to action after sitting out Saturday due to a one-game suspension stemming from an unspecified rules violation at a Friday practice.
MSU turned a three-point deficit into a five-point advantage near the midway point of the second half. Summers started things with a dunk with just under 13 minutes to play and a Lucas three put the Spartans ahead 42-37 with 11 1/2 minutes to play.
However, Michigan would turn the tables and go up 49-46 after Sims’ jumper with just over six minutes remaining. Then with the Wolverines ahead 56-53 with 2:38 to go, Morgan’s basket with 1:09 left made it a one-point game.
After Sims air balled a three from the corner on the Wolverines next trip, MSU called a time out to set up the game-winning play. With the shot and game clock winding down, Lucas pulled up just to the right of the free-throw line and buried a jumper with 3.5 seconds left.
Then after a Spartans foul and series of time outs by both sides and 0.9 ticks remaining, Sims’ attempted layup on a center court inbounds pass wouldn’t fall and Michigan State held on.
Michigan State held a early 16-15 advantage nearly nine minutes into the contest following a Morgan layup before the Wolverines went in front. Anthony Wright’s three-pointer sparked an 8-0 Michigan run with Harris finishing it off with a layup for a 21-16 Wolverines lead with 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the half.
Harris’ pair of free throws with two minutes left made it a 27-23 game in favor of the hosts, but Morgan closed out the scoring with a layup in the final minute and Michigan took a slim 27-25 edge into the locker room.
Despite the loss, Michigan is still 91-72 in the all-time series, but Michigan State has won five of the last six matchups...MSU shot 49 percent from the field, but a dreadful 2-of-12 from three-point distance...Michigan made 32.8 percent of its shots and only 7-of-29 from beyond the arc.
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