Michigan State Beats Wisconsin, 67-55, Advances to B1G Title Game
3/16/2019 4:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Chicago, Ill. -Â Junior guard Cassius Winston (Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) scored 21 points and had six assists and redshirt senior Kenny Goins (Troy, Mich./Warren Mott) had a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds as top-seeded Michigan State beat fourth-seeded Wisconsin, 67-55, in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals at the United Center Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Christian) added 17 points and seven rebounds and freshman forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) added six points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Spartans.
Records
Michigan State, winners of four-straight games and nine of its last 10, improves to 27-6 overall, while Wisconsin falls to 23-10.
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Up Next
Michigan State plays Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. (ET) at the United Center. The game will air live on CBS. Â
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Summary
Michigan State plays in the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. (ET) at the United Center. The game will air live on CBS. The Spartans will play third-seeded Michigan, 76-49 winners over Minnesota in the other semifinal.
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Sophomore forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Christian) added 17 points and seven rebounds and freshman forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) added six points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Spartans.
Records
Michigan State, winners of four-straight games and nine of its last 10, improves to 27-6 overall, while Wisconsin falls to 23-10.
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Up Next
Michigan State plays Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. (ET) at the United Center. The game will air live on CBS. Â
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Summary
- In a game Michigan State led from the tip, the Spartans took a 17-point lead in the first half (27-10) and led by eight at halftime (35-27), but never were able to shake the Badgers, who continued to stay within striking distance.
- The Spartans led 47-36 after a jumper from Winston with 11:52 to play in the game, but Wisconsin scored six-straight points and a three-point play from Khalil Iverson pulled the Badgers to within six points, 47-41, with 10:12 on the clock.
- A layup from Winston and a 3-pointer from Goins, his fourth of the game, pushed the MSU lead to 52-43 and a layup from Tillman gave MSU a 54-43 lead with 6:31 left to play.
- Both teams went scoreless for nearly three minutes before Winston hit a jumper in the lane to give MSU a 56-43 lead with 2:35 on the clock, capping a 9-2 burst that put the game away.
- Michigan State took a 35-27 lead in to the half, with the team connecting on 58.3 percent of its 3-pointers (7-of-12), led by Goins with three and senior guard Matt McQuaid (Duncanville, Texas/Duncaville), who had a pair.
- The Spartans came out on fire, hitting nine of their first 12 shots to take a 23-10 lead after a 3-pointer from Henry with 10:51 left in the half.
- MSU began to cool off a bit, missing three-straight shots, but Wisconsin could not capitalize and a three-point play from Tillman at the 7:42 mark pushed the lead to 27-10.
- The Badgers outscored MSU, 17-8 over the final seven minutes to pull within 35-27 at the break.
- Michigan State shot 42.9 percent from 3-point land (9-of-21), including 58.3 percent in the first half (7-of-12).
- The Spartans held a 44-30 advantage in rebounding and out-scored Wisconsin, 40-22,in the paint.
- MSU held Wisconsin to 35.3 percent shooting from the field (24-of-68), including just 10.5 percent from 3-point land (2-of-19).
- MSU handed out 18 assists on 23 made field goals (78.3 percent).
- The Spartans will play for their sixth Big Ten Tournament championship on Sunday (1999, 2000, 2012, 2014 and 2016).
- This will be Michigan State's seventh appearance in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game.
- Michigan State now has a 10-3 record as the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
- The Spartans now have a 6-4 record against Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament.
- Michigan State out-rebounded its opponent for the 28th time this season.
- Michigan State out-shot Wisconsin (43.4 percent to 35.3 percent), the 32nd-straight game the Spartans have out-shot their opponent. The lone game MSU was out-shot was in the season opener against Kansas.
- MSU's starters scored 65 of the team's 67 points.
- Winston has scored in double figures 31 times this year and led the team in scoring 20 times.
- This was his 18th game this season with at least 20 points.
- Winston's 21 points give him 1,305 for his career, moving him into 27th on the all-time scoring list and passing Matt Steigenga (1988-92). He needs six points to pass Branden Dawson (2011-15) for 26th place.
- This was the 27th time this season Winston handed out at least six assists.
- Goiins had a team-leading 12 rebounds, his eighth double-figure rebound total this season. It was his sixth double-double of 2018-19.
- Henry finished with a career-high 11 rebounds, the first game of his career with at least 10 boards.
- Tillman scored in double figures for the 16th time this season.
Michigan State plays in the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday, March 17 at 3:30 p.m. (ET) at the United Center. The game will air live on CBS. The Spartans will play third-seeded Michigan, 76-49 winners over Minnesota in the other semifinal.
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Team Stats
Wisc
MSU
FG%
.353
.434
3FG%
.105
.429
FT%
.556
.800
RB
30
44
TO
5
15
STL
7
4
Game Leaders
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