Oklahoma State goes down in thriller to MI, 92-91

Today we fell short, but I’m so proud of what they’ve done for this school. But we did some foolish things early and that’s nerves.

Michigan State was the team known for its breakneck speed in transition, but for a while there, it was the Hurricanes stealing and disrupting and racing up and down the floor like track stars. “We made shots! We made just enough to get the win”. In the first game of the series, they used some fortunate bounces to come back from a one-goal deficit in the third period.

Where Michigan State (20-14) goes now is to Sunday’s second round, when it will take on top-seeded Kansas, which rolled over UC Davis.

“I shook his hand before the game and he’s a good guard, but I knew during the game that I wanted to be the best guard and the best guard would win the game for his team”, Walton said. She just didn’t want me to go to the west coast, UNLV, and be away from the children.

Penn State (22-11-2), which set a program record for wins in a season, will face regular-season conference champion Minnesota in the semifinals at 8 p.m. Friday. “That’s the way it’s been for us”.

Louisville has won 8 of their last 12 heading into the tournament, averaging 79.8 points per game and shooting 47.9 percent. The senior’s three-point play with 34.6 seconds before halftime sent MSU into the locker room leading, 38-27. He embraced the 3-point shot long before it became fashionable.

Ward scored 11 points, including a three-point play, and Bridges added six during the key first-half run.

The Hurricanes entered the game as an eight seed and they were the favorites over the ninth-ranked Spartans.

Miami’s young players have made an impact all season, but it was Michigan State’s freshmen that fueled the Spartans comeback.

“I think when we did force them to miss, if you look at the numbers, they got offensive rebounds”, Beilein said. Up two with 10 seconds left, Walton made two free throws to keep it from being a one-possession game.

Nick Ward is a close second. “Once the momentum shifted from our side to their side we could never get it back”.

Ja’Quan Newton scored 16 points to lead Miami, which had won at least one tournament game in each of its previous three trips. That, in itself, would seemingly indicate that Walton was soundly defeated in his individual match-up at point guard, but Michigan’s leader submitted a 26-point, 11-assist performance that included big shot after big shot down the stretch.

The Spartans poured it on to open the second half, with Langford scoring nine of their first 11 points.

It’s like Miami’s guards were meant to Michigan State’s first NCAA tournament lesson.

Last matchup was in the 2013 NCAA Championship with Louisville winning 82-76. Sometimes the adversity kills you and sometimes you rise up.

John Beilein’s team had two home games to get everything right. “It makes me go out and play much more free knowing they have a lot of confidence in me”.