Michigan State has gained three in a row and two straight towards top-five opponents after taking down No. 4 Ohio State 71-68 on Thursday evening in East Lansing. 

Ohio State missed seven straight pictures within the final 5 minutes of the sport as Michigan State imposed its will on protection and Aaron Henry took management of the sport offensively. Whereas the Buckeyes had been struggling offensively, the Spartans performed their finest basketball of the half and got here up massive on shot after shot even on well-defended possessions. 

Henry completed the sport with a team-high 18 factors, with 4 rebounds, 4 assists, three blocks and two steals. He was tasked with guarding Ohio State star ahead E.J. Liddell and serving as the purpose guard in late-game lineups. Michigan State ran all the pieces via Henry and rode his success to successful a sport that had been, for lengthy stretches, dominated by the Buckeyes. 

There was loads of frustration on the Ohio State sidelines with bodily play down low that contributed to these empty offensive possessions. Buckeyes coach Chris Holtmann acquired one technical foul early within the second half for arguing a missed name and when contact was drawn on the staff’s final shot at tying the sport, he used the chance to make his factors once more to the officers en path to receiving a second technical foul and getting tossed from the sport.  

The standard win for Michigan State will hold its hopes alive for getting an at-large bid to the NCAA Event. 

For Ohio State, the loss follows the defeat towards Michigan final weekend in one other sport the place the Buckeyes had their probabilities late and couldn’t convert. Up subsequent is Iowa on Sunday, with the Hawkeyes rolling into Columbus off the lop-sided loss to Michigan on Thursday evening.