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Michigan State 59, Northern Iowa 52: Spartans Shut Down Panthers In Final Minutes
St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Durrell Summers had 19 points and seven rebounds to lead Michigan State past ninth-seeded Northern Iowa, 59-52, in the Midwest Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament for a spot amongst the final eight.
Korie Lucious and Raymar Morgan hit consecutive jumpers to spark a defining 8-1 surge over the final 2:19 for the fifth-seeded Spartans (27-8), who have won seven of their last eight bouts held in the round of 16.
Lucious contributed 10 points, six boards, four assists and four steals, while Morgan came up with seven points for the victors, who advanced to Sunday’s regional final against Tennessee. The Volunteers bounced second-seeded Ohio State from the tourney in the other semi earlier Friday.
Adam Koch scored 13 points and Kwadzo Ahelegbe added 12 for the Panthers (30-5), who hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game in 20 years prior to their run through to the round of 16.
Ali Farokhmanesh and Jordan Eglseder came away with nine points each, but Northern Iowa shot just 38.6 percent from the floor to fall short of notching a second stunner against a perennial tourney-tested program.
NIU had pulled off a second-round 69-67 shocker over top-seeded Kansas to set up its first-ever Sweet 16 appearance.
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