SB Nation Detroit - Michigan State Vs. Wisconsin: Spartans Advance To Title Game With 65-52 Winhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48919/detroit-fave.png2012-03-10T15:42:31-05:00http://detroit.sbnation.com/rss/stream/26237032012-03-10T15:42:31-05:002012-03-10T15:42:31-05:00Big Ten Tournament Bracket Update: Michigan State Dominates Wisconsin, Advances To Championship Game
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<p>For the first time since 2000, Michigan State is headed to the Big Ten tournament championship game. Early on in the Spartans' semifinal game against Wisconsin, it looked like Michigan State's drought was going to continue. Then the Spartans turned the game around and never looked back. They went on a 26-5 run to close out the first half and kept their hot streak going in the second half en route to a 65-52 victory.</p>
<p>After starting off this game on a 9-0 run, Wisconsin appeared to be in pretty good shape. At the very least, Michigan State was on its toes early. It looked like it could be a long day for the Spartans, but they weren't about to let this game get too far out of control. Once things calmed down, Michigan State got its big run started around eight minutes into the half. Fueled by three straight three pointers by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26639/austin-thornton">Austin Thornton</a>, Michigan State scored 13 points in a row and ended up leading 35-25 at halftime.</p>
<p>In the second half, it was more of the same from the Spartans, although Wisconsin did make a run of its own to cut the lead down to six points. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52346/draymond-green">Draymond Green</a> stopped the run with a three-point play, and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123904/keith-appling">Keith Appling</a> hit a three a couple possessions later. The lead grew back to 12 and that was basically all she wrote. Michigan State charged away and went on to win 65-52.</p>
<p>Michigan State got a pretty balanced effort in this victory. Green led the scoring with 14 points and also grabbed 16 rebounds. Appling added 13 points of his own and Thornton scored 12 points on four three pointers. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99906/derrick-nix">Derrick Nix</a> had nine points for Michigan State, as did <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/28194/brandon-wood">Brandon Wood</a>.</p>
<p>Michigan State now awaits the winner of the <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-wolverines/2012/3/10/2859707/big-ten-basketball-tournament-2012-michigan-vs-ohio-state">Michigan/Ohio State game</a>, which is the second semifinal of the day in Indianapolis. The Buckeyes are looking to return to the Big Ten tournament championship game for the fourth year in a row, and Michigan is trying to get to the final for the first time since 1998.</p>
<p>Sunday's title game will tip off at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.</p>
<p><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">For more, check out the </i><a style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/10/2859422/big-ten-basketball-tournament-2012-bracket-scores-results/in/2602576"><i style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">2012 Big Ten tournament bracket</i></a><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> and <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/2/2838535/big-ten-tournament-2012">our StoryStream</a></i><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">. For more on the Michigan State Spartans, go to <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://www.theonlycolors.com/">The Only Colors</a>. </i><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">You can also head over to SB Nation's main NCAA Basketball hub at <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball">SBNation.com/NCAA-Basketball</a>.</i></p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2012/3/10/2860442/big-ten-tournament-bracket-2012-update-michigan-state-basketball-wisconsinSean Yuille2012-03-10T14:35:54-05:002012-03-10T14:35:54-05:00Big Ten Tournament 2012, Michigan State Vs. Wisconsin Score Update: Spartans Rally To Take 35-25 Lead Into Halftime
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<p>It was a tale of two halves in the first half between Michigan State and Wisconsin in the 2012 Big Ten tournament semifinals. Michigan State started the game missing their first seven shots and falling behind by double-digits, but found their rhythm in a big way and stormed all the way back to take a 35-25 lead into the half.</p>
<p>Michigan State closed out the first half on an enormous 26-5 run that saw Wisconsin coming up empty on their final 10 shots. The Spartans sit at 58-percent shooting while the Badgers saw their shooting percentage dip all the way to 35-percent.</p>
<p>Michigan State is getting equal contributions from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/28194/brandon-wood">Brandon Wood</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26639/austin-thornton">Austin Thornton</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99906/derrick-nix">Derrick Nix</a>, who each have nine points on a combined 11-for-15 shooting.</p>
<p>Ryan Evans leads Wisconsin with nine points and five rebounds.</p>
<p>Michigan State is 20 minutes away from reaching the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2000.</p>
<p><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">For more, check out the </i><a style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: #ffffff; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/10/2859422/big-ten-basketball-tournament-2012-bracket-scores-results/in/2602576"><i style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">2012 Big Ten tournament bracket</i></a><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"> and <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/2/2838535/big-ten-tournament-2012">our StoryStream</a></i><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">. For more on the Michigan State Spartans, go to <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://www.theonlycolors.com/">The Only Colors</a>. </i><i style="outline-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,'Liberation Sans',FreeSans,sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">You can also head over to SB Nation's main NCAA Basketball hub at <a style="outline-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #a00609; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;" href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball">SBNation.com/NCAA-Basketball</a>.</i></p>
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https://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2012/3/10/2860392/michigan-state-vs-wisconsin-score-update-big-ten-tournament-2012Packey2012-03-10T09:11:08-05:002012-03-10T09:11:08-05:00Big Ten Tournament 2012: Michigan State, Wisconsin Renew Rivalry In Semifinals
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<p>Michigan State is one win away from its first appearance in the Big Ten tournament title game since 2000. To get there, the Spartans will need to beat Wisconsin, the No. 4 seed in this year's tourney.</p> <p>Between their battles over the years on the hardwood and what transpired on the football field last season, there is a lot of bad blood between Michigan State and Wisconsin. Especially in basketball, the two schools have had quite a few intense games with <span class="sbn-auto-link">Tom Izzo</span> vs. Bo Ryan being played up as one of the great coaching matchups in the Big Ten.</p>
<p>On Saturday in Indianapolis, this rivalry will add a new chapter as each school looks to advance to the 2012 Big Ten tournament championship game. Michigan State is in the semifinals after a <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2012/3/9/2857728/big-ten-tournament-2012-michigan-state-vs-iowa-final-score-hot/in/2602576">blowout win over Iowa</a> on Friday, whereas Wisconsin advanced thanks to a <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/9/2858154/big-10-tournament-bracket-2012-wisconsin-indiana-michigan-state-basketball/in/2602576">79-71 win over Indiana</a> in the quarterfinals.</p>
<p>The Spartans and Badgers met twice during the regular season. Both games were won by Michigan State, including the first meeting of the season in Madison on Jan. 3. The Spartans picked up their first win at the Kohl Center since 2001 with a 63-60 win on the road and added a 69-55 victory at home later in the season.</p>
<p>If Michigan State wins on Saturday, it will advance to the championship game of the Big Ten tournament for the first time since 2000. The Spartans last won the tournament that year, which gave them back-to-back titles. Since then, they have not even been able to make it to the final game.</p>
<p>Wisconsin's last Big Ten tournament championship came in 2008. The Badgers beat Illinois in the final for their second overall tournament championship. Interestingly enough, Wisconsin's first title came in 2004, also against Illinois, and both of Michigan State's tournament titles came against the Fighting Illini. This year, whichever team wins on Saturday will advance to face either <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-wolverines/2012/3/10/2859707/big-ten-basketball-tournament-2012-michigan-vs-ohio-state">Michigan or Ohio State</a> in the final game of the tournament.</p>
<p>Saturday's semifinal between Michigan State and Wisconsin tips off at 1:40 p.m. ET. CBS has the broadcast of the game.</p>
<p><i>For more, check out the </i><a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/10/2859422/big-ten-basketball-tournament-2012-bracket-scores-results/in/2602576"><i>2012 Big Ten tournament bracket</i></a><i></i><i> and <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/2/2838535/big-ten-tournament-2012">our StoryStream</a></i><i>. For more on the Michigan State Spartans, go to <a href="http://www.theonlycolors.com/">The Only Colors</a>. </i><i>You can also head over to SB Nation's main NCAA Basketball hub at <a href="http://sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball">SBNation.com/NCAA-Basketball</a>.</i></p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2012/3/10/2859605/big-ten-tournament-2012-michigan-state-basketball-wisconsinSean Yuille2012-03-10T09:00:25-05:002012-03-10T09:00:25-05:00Big Ten Tournament 2012 Semifinal: Michigan State Vs. Wisconsin Game Time, TV Schedule And More
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<p>Michigan State's stay in Indianapolis will last at least through Saturday afternoon. The top-seeded Spartans will take on the fourth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers, which <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/9/2858154/big-10-tournament-bracket-2012-wisconsin-indiana-michigan-state-basketball/in/2602576">beat Indiana 79-71</a> Friday afternoon. Earlier Friday, <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/michigan-st-spartans/2012/3/9/2857728/big-ten-tournament-2012-michigan-state-vs-iowa-final-score-hot/in/2602576">Michigan State defeated Iowa 92-75</a>.</p>
<p>The game between Michigan State and Wisconsin starts at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The game will be televised nationally on CBS.</p>
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<div class="commentable-body">Michigan State is seeking its first appearance in the Big Ten tournament final since 2000, which was also the last time the Spartans won the tournament. Wisconsin last made the final in 2008, which is the last time it won the tournament.<br>
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<p>Make sure to check out <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/2/2838535/big-ten-tournament-2012">our StoryStream</a> for more on the action in Indy, and you can also check out the <a href="http://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/10/2859422/big-ten-basketball-tournament-2012-bracket-scores-results">2012 Big Ten tournament bracket</a>.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Big Ten, be sure to visit SB Nation's <a href="http://www.btpowerhouse.com/" target="_blank">BT Powerhouse</a>. Get complete Wisconsin coverage at <a href="http://www.buckys5thquarter.com/">Bucky's Fifth Quarter</a></i><i>. Full Michigan State coverage can be found at </i><a href="http://www.theonlycolors.com/" target="_blank"><i>The Only Colors</i></a><i>. </i><i></i></p>
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https://detroit.sbnation.com/2012/3/10/2858197/big-ten-basketball-tournament-semifinal-wisconsin-michigan-stateSamuel Chamberlain