Chicago — For a brief few minutes, Kyle Ahrens laid on the court clutching his left leg. Only his sobs pierced the silence that overtook the United Center during the Big Ten tournament championship game between Michigan State and Michigan. The Spartans junior had just leapt into the air for a rebound and landed on another player’s foot, rolling his left ankle over before crumbling to the ground. “I felt it pop and I broke my leg several times and I thought it was one of those moments because it hurt worse than when I broke it,” Ahrens said after Michigan States 65-60 win. “I for sure thought I broke it and I was done and …” Ahrens trailed off, shaking his head finding what happened next almost hard to believe. After being loaded on a stretcher and thanking coaches and teammates on the way out – the most Kyle Ahrens thing ever – the junior was taken in for X-rays at the arena. They came back negative for a fracture. The relief was felt everywhere, from Ahrens to his parents who were courtside and waiting for their son in the tunnel to coach Tom Izzo and Ahrens’ teammates. Izzo and most of the player fought back tears as they crowded around Ahrens, a player who has fought injuries his entire career. “He thought it was broke and his career was over,” Izzo said. “It’s one of those times you won’t forget in a coaching career. At halftime when he came walking in and it wasn’t broke, it was so uplifting to the players. “It’s bad. The thing’s like a balloon already, but I think the players … that’s why this team is such a cool team. The all gathered around him. I tried to get them back in the huddle and they told me were to go and I agreed with them.” Ahrens has been hampered by a bad back all season, just one of many injuries the native of Versailles, Ohio, has dealt with throughout his career. He’s had two broken legs and has had surgery twice on his foot, the last foot injury forcing him to miss the entire 2017-18 season. Izzo declared Ahrens out for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, but the resilient Ahrens was at least holding out some hope. “It’s so swollen I thought it was displaced,” Ahrens said. “I don’t know, just take it day-by-day and see how it feels, but it’s huge. It’s the size of a softball. I’ve never really had a sprained ankle like that or I don’t know if it’s ligaments or what it is. I’m just happy these guys clutched it out and were able to get win.” Izzo said the rallying cry at halftime was to win for Ahrens and Joshua Langford, who has missed most of the season with a broken foot. “That means the world to me,” Ahrens said. “We all have each other’s back. This is what makes it so special. We’re always going everywhere together, always together no matter what, always have each other’s back, no matter what. We’re brothers for life.” mcharboneau@detroitnews.com Twitter: @mattcharboneau<doc-sep>Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo had a heartbreaking reaction to the injury to Spartans’ junior forward Kyle Ahrens. Ahrens, a 6-foot-6 forward, suffered a nasty-looking leg injury late in the first half against Michigan during the Big Ten Tournament championship game. Michigan State’s forward appeared to injure his ankle when he came down from a rebound attempt. Ahrens was down on the floor for several minutes as his teammates huddled around him. Izzo made his way onto the floor to console his player. As Michigan State’s head coach walked back to the bench, he teared up. Tom Izzo can’t hold back his emotions. Crying as Kyle Ahrens left the court. pic.twitter.com/qaJRAsKu9K — Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 17, 2019 Ahrens left the floor on a stretcher as he was consoled by his teammates. This is an awful scene. Michigan State’s Kyle Ahrens left the court in tears, leg in a brace, and on a stretcher. pic.twitter.com/ZskDtRvv5G — Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 17, 2019 Ahrens’ parents were standing right off the court as he was carted off in a stretcher. He reportedly told his parents, “I’m sorry.” “When Kyle Ahrens got wheeled out and his mom and dad came down to meet him, you could read his lips. He told his mom he was sorry. That dude just wants to play basketball,” Adam Ruff tweeted. When Kyle Ahrens got wheeled out and his mom and dad came down to meet him, you could read his lips. He told his mom he was sorry. That dude just wants to play basketball. — Adam Ruff (@AdamRuffPhoto) March 17, 2019 Ahrens was averaging 4.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game for the Spartans this season. Hopefully, the injury isn’t as bad as it looks and Ahrens can be back at some point during the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State is in line for a high seed and will be projected to make a deep run. Michigan and Michigan State, meanwhile, are playing on CBS.<doc-sep>
CHICAGO — Michigan State basketball’s Kyle Ahrens suffered a left foot injury with 4:34 left in the first half of the Big Ten tournament title game against Michigan. An MSU spokesman at halftime said X-rays were negative for a fracture. Ahrens returned to the MSU bench using crutches with about 14:10 left in the second half, to the cheers of Spartan fans and his teammates. He took a seat at the end of the bench. More:Ahrens emblematic of Spartans' season so far: Banged-up and emotional The junior forward, already battling a bad back, crashed to the floor and immediately grabbed his left ankle. Referees stopped play, and MSU trainers quickly ran to Ahrens, who was crying and covering his face as they attended to him. Medical staff brought out a stretcher and immobilized Ahrens’ leg. United Center was silent as he laid on the court. Tom Izzo was visibly upset, Nick Ward was crying and gave Ahrens a hug. Joshua Langford, out with a foot injury, wheeled his scooter over and gave Ahrens a big, long hug before he was wheeled back to the locker room. With fans chanting his name and applauding, Ahrens thumped his chest as he cried heading toward the tunnel. MSU’s Matt McQuaid hit a 3-pointer immediately after the stoppage. Ahrens, a 6-foot-5 fourth-year player from Versailles, Ohio, has been playing through a bad back since December, which has forced him to miss four games. He suffered a right foot injury that forced him to take a redshirt last season, and Ahrens also suffered a broken leg as a junior in high school.