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  Spartans Denied Overtime Win, Big-10 Title By No. 17 Wisconsin
 
Paul Davis had 25 points and 10 rebounds for Michigan State.
 
 
Kelvin Torbert blocks a shot by Wisconsin's Clayton Hanson during the first half Tuesday.
 
Kelvin Torbert blocks a shot by Wisconsin's Clayton Hanson during the first half Tuesday.
 
 

March 2, 2004

Recap |  Box Score |  Quotes

By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Wisconsin kept Michigan State's Big Ten championship banner rolled tight.

Devin Harris scored 18 points and Clayton Hanson made a key 3-pointer in the extra period to give the 17th-ranked Badgers a 68-64 win over the Spartans in overtime Tuesday night.

The Badgers (20-6, 11-4 Big Ten) kept their hopes alive for a third straight conference championship on a night the Spartans (17-10, 12-4) could have clinched at least a share of the title in their regular-season finale.

Michigan State had a championship banner ready in the rafters - near Wisconsin's bench - but the Badgers didn't let it unfurl.

"I never saw it," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said.

Neither did the Spartans.

Illinois will take the conference championship if it wins on the road against Purdue on Wednesday and Ohio State on Sunday.

The Badgers, Illini and Spartans will end the regular season in a three-way tie if Illinois loses a game and if the Badgers win Saturday at Indiana.

"We'll take it any way we can get it," Harris said. "The first year we won, three top teams lost the same day. That's OK with us."

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said he wanted no part of the title, which would be his fifth in seven years.

"I hope Illinois wins it," Izzo said. "I don't want to win a conference championship backing in. I'm not going to lose any sleep hoping we back our way in."

Mike Wilkinson had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Badgers, who have won three straight.

Michigan State's Paul Davis had 25 points and 10 rebounds, but was on the bench for the last seven-plus minutes of the game with leg cramps.


 

 

Wisconsin's Mike Wilkinson and Matt Trannon fight for a rebound during the first half.
"I was trying to get back out there, but every time I stood up, my body locked up," Davis said.

Chris Hill scored 15 points, but with 22 seconds left in regulation and the score tied, he missed two free throws.

"There's no one to blame but myself," said Hill, staring at the floor in a somber locker room. "The game was riding on that, my team was counting on me, but I didn't get it done."

The game went to overtime after Harris missed a mid-range jumper, but it was his 3-pointer that tied the game at 52 with 45 seconds left in regulation.

The Badgers went ahead by three on three occasions in overtime, and Michigan State pulled within one on the next possession each time.

But Hanson's 3-pointer with 43 seconds left put the Badgers ahead 62-58. Hanson finished with 13 points.

Hill kept it interesting with two 3-pointers in the final 13 seconds, but Wilkinson sealed the win with two free throws with six seconds left.

"We didn't deserve to win it," Izzo said.

The Spartans had won five straight and 12 of 14 since losing the conference opener at Wisconsin.

The game started with two of the Big Ten's top post players - Davis and Wilkinson - off to strong starts.

Davis scored Michigan State's first seven points and finished the first half with 15 points and nine rebounds. Wilkinson scored Wisconsin's first nine points and had 11 at halftime.

Wisconsin's 11-2 run gave it a 35-30 lead after a half with seven lead changes and four ties.

Wisconsin didn't trail again until Davis made a 3-pointer and a layup to put the Spartans ahead 48-46 with eight minutes left.

"It had the feel of a tournament game," Wilkinson said.