Photo gallery: Michigan vs. Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament Championship
Michigan State reacts at the end of the half against Michigan at the Big Ten Tournament Championship game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday, March 16, 2014. Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News
INDIANAPOLIS -- Life doesn't always give you another chance to right your wrongs, to get back what you once lost. But Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Michigan State got that chance.
The Spartans gripped the moment and threw it down with a windmill dunk, beating the No. 8-ranked Wolverines 69-55 to win the Big Ten tournament title.
The celebration of their title -- the schools' fourth overall and second in three years -- was a cathartic mix of pure joy and sweet relief. After all the injuries, the February losses and a regular-season sweep at the hands of the Wolverines, Michigan State was able to cut down the nets.
Reminiscent of Caris LeVert's buzzer-beating 3-pointer three weeks ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan State's Gary Harris drove the lane and dunked the ball emphatically to give the Spartans a 38-29 halftime lead at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Harris -- who had 13 points in the games' first 20 minutes and finished with 15 -- spearheaded a 12-0 run that took the Spartans from trailing 9-4 to leading 16-9 with 11:51 to go in the first half.
They never trailed again.
Unlike the regular-season losses to the Wolverines -- in which Michigan dominated the second half -- the Spartans clung to their halftime lead, stretching it to as many as 18 points.
The Spartans opened the second half with a 8-0 run. Michigan made its last run with 6 minutes to go in the game, cutting the lead to 10, but never getting any closer.
Adreian Payne led Michigan State with 18 points and nine rebounds. Branden Dawson chipped in 15 points and six rebounds.
The Spartans shot 50 percent on the day and held Michigan to 31.5 percent from the field. Big Ten player of the year Nik Stauskas led Michigan with 17 points but was held to just four in the second half.
The Spartans had a scare midway through the second half when Harris appeared to have injured his left shoulder, but he returned to the game seven minutes later.
The Spartans now await their NCAA tournament destination.
-- Michigan State added to its nine-point halftime lead by opening the second half on a 8-0 run. The Wolverines were held scoreless for the first 3:38 of the second half.
-- Michigan State went on a 12-0 run to seize momentum and go up 16-9 with 11:51 left in the first half. Gary Harris spearheaded the charge with a 3-pointer and a long jumper, then picked Nik Stauskas' pocket for a dunk on the other end.
-- Michigan State shot 20 percent in the opening five minutes due to poor shot selection. Adreian Payne went 0-2 and Gary Harris went 1-for-3.
-- Denzel Valentine struggled with foul trouble all night, playing just 8 minutes in the first half and finishing with just three points.
-- We said the difference between the first two losses to Michigan and getting a win on Sunday would be the defense of Michigan State's Branden Dawson on U-M guards Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert. With Dawson out there -- in addition to the defense of Gary Harris and Keith Appling -- Michigan State was able to hold Stauskas to 17 points, 13 of which came in the first half.
After watching Michigan State play this weekend, how far do you see them going in the NCAA tournament?
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