Michigan State Basketball: No. 2 Spartans squeaks by Wisconsin to advance to semifinals

The Michigan State Spartans continues their wonderful season as they advance in the Big Ten Tournament.

The No. 2 Michigan State Spartans came up big on the defensive end down the stretch and avoided being an upset victim by holding onto a narrow 63-60 victory quarterfinal win in the Big Ten Tournament over the Wisconsin Badgers at Madison Square Garden on Friday afternoon.

Sophomores Miles Bridges and Cassius Winston combined for 37 points for the Spartans (29-3), who won their 13th straight game. Bridges led the way with 20 points, on 7-of-15 shooting, and a game-high nine rebounds.  Winston contributed 17 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The Spartans struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the first half. But the Spartans scored the final eight points of the stanza as Bridges and Winston hit back to back triples following a pair of free throws by Bridges. MSU led 32-28 at the break.

The second half was just as tight as the first half. Winston and Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ each knocked down two shots to begin the stanza. Then after a bucket by Bridges to make the score 38 -32, the Badgers went on 9-0 spurt to take a 42-38 lead.

Josh Langford ended Wisconsin’s run with a layup off a feed from Winston. Langford’s basket, which ended an almost four-minute drought, started a three-minute period where the Spartans outscored the Badgers 11-4. Happ tied the game at 51 with a layup at 8:49 mark.

Winston sank a jumper to give the Spartans the lead for good with a 7:17. Matt McQuaid ‘s layup extended MSU’s advantage to 58-51 with 5:06 to go. However, Happ put in five points and assisted on a Khalil Iverson dunk to bring the Badgers to with 60-58.

McQuaid essentially iced the game with a triple with 1:32 left.

Happ was fantastic for Wisconsin (15-18), which saw it’s season come to an end. The 6-foot-10 junior finished with a game-high 22 points as he made 10-of-15 shots from the floor. He also added four rebounds, four assists along and two blocks.

Happ did miss a key free throw down the stretch as did Iverson.

While Wisconsin shot 45.6% (26-of-57)  from the field for the game. MSU did what they wanted to do on the defensive end of the floor. The Spartans didn’t let Happ to kick the ball out to the Badgers perimeter shooters for open looks. Wisconsin was 6 of 17 from long distance and attempted six free throws.

The Spartans held the Badgers to just two field goals over the final 3:41. And they did a great job not giving Brad Davison a good look at a desperation shot at the buzzer.

Next: Michigan State vs. Wisconsin Preview

Michigan State will play fifth-seeded Michigan in the semifinals on Saturday.