Michigan State Hangs on to Beat No. 2 Michigan, 70-64

East Lansing, Mich. – Graduate guard Joshua Langford (Huntsville, Ala./Madison Academy) saved his best for last, hitting a 3-pointer with 49 seconds left to give Michigan State's men's basketball team a 5-point lead and the Spartans held on for a 70-64 win over No. 2 Michigan on Sunday afternoon.

Sophomore guard Rocket Watts (Detroit, Mich./SPIRE Academy [Ohio]) scored a game-high 21 points to lead three players in double figures for MSU, as junior forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) scored 18 points, grabbed five rebounds and had three assists and redshirt junior forward Joey Hauser (Stevens Point, Wis./Stevens Point) added 11 points and five rebounds.

Records
Michigan State, winners of five of its last seven games, closes out the regular season with a 15-11 overall record and 8-12 mark in the Big Ten Conference, while Michigan falls to 19-4 overall and 14-3 in league play.

Recap

Michigan State led by four points, 30-26, at halftime and the Spartans maintained their advantage throughout the second half.
A free throw from sophomore forward Julius Marble (Dallas, Texas/Dallas Jesuit) gave MSU a 48-38 lead with 9:59 to play and the Spartans took their biggest lead, 55-44, on 1-of-2 free throws from junior forward Marcus Bingham Jr. (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Catholic Central) with 5:58 to play.
Michigan went on a 15-6 run and pulled to within two points, 61-59, on a three-point play from Hunter Dickinson with 1:13 to play.
Langford responded on the next possession, sinking a 3-pointer from the right wing with 49 seconds left, giving MSU a 64-59 lead.
Junior forward Gabe Brown (Ypsilanti, Mich./Belleville) hit four free throws and Henry hit a pair in the final 40 seconds to seal the win for the Spartans.
The first half was back and forth with four ties and seven lead changes.
Michigan took a 21-17 lead on a basket from Chaundee Brown with 5:21 to play, but the Spartans used a 13-5 run over the final 5:11 and took a 30-26 lead on a jumper from Henry with 17 seconds to play.

Key Stats

The Spartans shot 44.4 percent from the floor (24-of-54), including 50.0 percent in the second half (12-of-24).
MSU received 41 points from its bench, including 21 from Rocket Watts and 11 from Joey Hauser.
The Spartans had a 38-32 advantage in rebounding.
Michigan State committed just eight turnovers, including just three in the second half.
Aaron Henry scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half.

Notes

Michigan State trails the all-time series with Michigan, 86-102, but has won five of the last seven meetings.
The Spartans are 52-38 at home against the Wolverines, including a 21-8 mark at the Breslin Center.
Tom Izzo is 30-19 all-time against Michigan.
Michigan State is now 11-1 when leading at the half.
The Spartans are 15-1 when shooting better than their opponent.
MSU is 12-5 when controlling the battle of the boards.
Aaron Henry scored in double figures for the 24th time this season and for the 13th-straight game.
Rocket Watts scored in double figures for the seventh time this year and it was his third game with at least 20 points.
Joey Hauser reached double figures in scoring for the 14th time this season.

Up Next
Michigan State plays next in the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind. The Spartans, the No. 9 seed, will play No. 8 seed Maryland on Thursday, March 11 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Team Stats

Rocket Watts

Aaron Henry

Joey Hauser

Joshua Langford

Players Mentioned

Marcus Bingham Jr.

Gabe Brown

Joey Hauser

Aaron Henry

Joshua Langford

Rocket Watts

Players Mentioned

Marcus Bingham Jr.

Gabe Brown

Joey Hauser

Aaron Henry

Joshua Langford

Rocket Watts