No. 22 Michigan State tops No. 9 Michigan for Big Ten title
Joe Rexrode
INDIANAPOLIS — Gary Harris got past Glenn Robinson III, put a crossover dribble on Max Bielfeldt, threw down a ferocious slam over Spike Albrecht andcouldn't be stopped until Tom Izzo met him near halfcourt with an emphatic hand slap.
"That's what I'm (expletive) talking about!" Izzo screamed at Harris, his face contorted with more emotion than a Big Ten tournament championship game usually elicits.
But Michigan State badly wanted this one, to get Michigan back after two losses to the regular-season champion Wolverines, to complete a weekend of revival,to make a statement about themselves. That's exactly what the Spartans did. They defended, dunked and dominated their way to a 69-55 rout for their fourth Big Ten tournament championship.
"I think we all needed it," said MSU senior point guard Keith Appling, who improved to 3-6 against U-M in his career.
"It was kind of important in a lot of ways," Izzo said. "No. 1, (the Wolverines) have taken our lunch the last couple games. … And it gives us a little barometer of where we are, where we can be."
Less than an hour after the game ended, MSU (26-8) gathered in a room in Bankers Life Fieldhouse and got to looking ahead to the NCAA tournament - they'll be the No. 4 seed in the East region and play Thursday against No. 13 seed Delaware in Spokane, Wash.
First, they breathed in the reward of their three-day storm through the Big Ten, which included a convincing win over Wisconsin in Saturday's semifinals. Izzo took the microphone on stage and thanked the thousands of MSU fans who came for support in a packed, energetic arena.
He also thanked MSU football coach Mark Dantonio, who was in the building and who sat with Izzo for a few minutes on the bench before the game. Izzo brought his team to watch Dantonio's team win the Big Ten title over Ohio State in December.
"We won a football championship in his city," Izzo said to the crowd, "and now we won a basketball championship!"
And now they look like they might be ready to contend for a much bigger one. The weekend was a long look at just how dangerous the Spartans could be in the upcoming NCAA tournament, now that they're healthy and clicking - Harris had a second-half scare with a hit to his left arm, but he said later it was just a "stinger" and nothing serious.
He scored 15 points near his hometown of Fishers, Ind., and played top-notch defense on U-M guard Nik Stauskas (4-for-14, 17 points). Adreian Payne scored 18 points for MSU and Branden Dawson continued his huge weekend for the Spartans.
Dawson, who missed both of MSU's regular-season losses to U-M with a broken hand, had 15 points, six rebounds, high-flying dunks and terrific defense. He was the Spartans' best all-around performer in the tournament and was named Most Outstanding Player. Payne and Harris joined him on the All-Tournament team.
"I think we made a statement to the whole country that we can play with anybody, that we're not out," said MSU's Denzel Valentine, who also had a strong weekend.
"I still think this is one of the best teams I've ever coached here," Izzo said. "And what that could mean? I don't know. It could mean out in the first round, it could mean win a national championship."
Joe Rexrode also writes for the Detroit Free Press.