No. 5 Mich St. Loses to No. 18 Indiana, Fails to Clinch Big Ten Title

by David Cassilo / @dcassilo

The Big Ten title was there for the taking for No. 5 Michigan State on Tuesday night, but the Spartans had to postpone the celebration as No. 18 Indiana prevailed at home, 70-55. The win keeps both No. 10 Ohio State and No. 13 Michigan alive for first place in the conference.

The Hoosiers blitzed the Spartans in the first half, hitting the break up 41-27. Indiana finished with five players in double-figures, including freshman forward Cody Zeller, who finished with 18 points. It was the third win over a top-5 team at home for Indiana this season.

Michigan State got a big game from senior forward Draymond Green, who tallied 29 points and eight rebounds, but no other Spartan had more the eight points.

It was the Spartans fifth game in 13 days but their first lost.

From the Detroit Free Press:

“It’s been a long two weeks, and this team has given me just about everything they can give me,” said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo “but tonight we didn’t play Spartan basketball.”

Ohio State and Michigan still trail Michigan State by a game-and-a-half, but if either wins its next game, the conference title will come down to Sunday’s showdown between the Buckeyes and Spartans. Michigan State won the first meeting in Columbus on Feb. 11, 58-48.