No. 3 Spartans Sneak Past No. 22 Badgers, 51-47

Feb. 27, 2001

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Despite his team's dominance in the series, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo would just as soon not press his luck and see Wisconsin again.

The third-ranked Spartans had to hold off a second-half rally by No. 22 Wisconsin for a 51-47 victory Tuesday night.

"I thought that was the toughest team we've played all year," said Izzo, whose team won the first meeting 69-59 in overtime. "I do want to take my hat off to my players. I've never seen a team bounce back like they have.

"But give (Wisconsin) credit. They hit some shots, they came up with all the loose balls down the stretch and the crowd was awesome. That was an NCAA tournament game by two NCAA tournament teams."

Michigan State (23-3, 12-3 Big Ten) led almost the entire game and stretched the margin to 44-31 midway through the second half.

But Wisconsin (17-9, 8-7) went on a 14-3 run to pull within 47-45 with just under five minutes remaining. Kirk Penney, who led the Badgers with 13 points, scored eight points during that run, including two 3-pointers from the deep left corner that banked in.

"At first I thought I wasn't seeing it right," Wisconsin coach Brad Soderberg said. "I watched the flight of the ball and I said, `My God, that thing hit the glass.' Then he did it again, and they both went in. That's when I thought we were going to win."

He should've known better.

The Badgers' rally faltered as they went scoreless for more than four minutes. Michigan State managed just two free throws during that time - one each by Jason Richardson and Charlie Bell - to stretch the lead to 49-45.

Roy Boone pulled Wisconsin within 49-47 with a short jumper with 37 seconds left. David Thomas was fouled with 20 seconds left and made both free throws for his only points of the game to give the Spartans their final margin.

Michigan State has beaten Wisconsin six times in the past two seasons, including a victory in the Final Four last season.

"I wouldn't mind having one more crack at them," said Andy Kowske, one of five Badger seniors who have experienced just one victory in 11 meetings with the Spartans over the past four years. "I like playing them, it's fun. It's always real physical ... it's a war out there.

"One of these times we're going to win if we play them. One more time, maybe that's the time we can get those guys."

The Spartans moved into a first place tie in the Big Ten with No. 5 Illinois with one game remaining. Michigan State plays host to Michigan on Saturday, while Illinois travels to Minnesota.

Andre Hutson scored 13 points to lead the Spartans. Richardson, who was held to two points in the first half by Wisconsin's defensive ace Mike Kelley, finished with 11 and Bell added 10.

"Jason Richardson hit a couple of big, big shots," Izzo said. "Kelley did not do a good job on him, he did a great job on him. That was a big matchup because we thought maybe we could exploit it a little bit, but it's been four years I've been watching the kid do it and Kelley hasn't changed any. He did a great job on Jason, but Jason hit a couple of big shots at critical times."

It is that ability to make big plays in the clutch that Soderberg believes separates the Spartans and Badgers.

"They have guys who can make plays when the game is on the line," Soderberg said. "I'm not trying to criticize my guys at all, but let's call it like it is - they have some guys who can make plays.

"How about the plays Richardson made against one of the best defenders in the country? The guy made plays. I'm very proud of the kids we have, but I don't know which guy in our lineup, under that kind of stress, can make those plays.

"That, to me, is the difference. Last year they had (Morris) Peterson and (Mateen) Cleaves, and now Richardson and Bell are doing the same thing."

The Spartans, who have won five straight since their 77-66 loss to Illinois, have their sights set on winning their fourth straight Big Ten title.

"That's really my main goal," Hutson said. "That's all I've been thinking about the past few weeks, is winning four straight Big Ten championships."