2 Michigan State tops No. 1 Kentucky, 78-74 CHICAGO - Keith Appling, Gary Harris and Adreian Payne all scored in double figures for No. 2 Michigan State, and Branden Dawson tipped in a miss with less than six seconds left to give the Spartans a cushion in their 78-74 victory over top-ranked Kentucky on Tuesday night. James Young missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, and the Spartans erupted in delight, with Harris holding up his index finger. It was the earliest meeting of 1 versus 2, and the first since 2008, and the matchup did not disappoint for many who saw it as a sneak preview of the Final Four. Julius Randle had 23 of his 27 points in the second half, as the Wildcats (2-1) erased a 13-point deficit. But they couldn't overcome their troubles at the free-throw line, going a dismal 20 of 36. Appling came within two rebounds and two assists of a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Harris had 20 points and Payne had 15 points and four rebounds. The last 1-2 matchup was Feb. 23, 2008, when Tennessee beat top-ranked Memphis. The Tigers' coach then was John Calipari, now coach of Kentucky.