Michigan State Spartans Sports - SpartanTailgate.com

It wasn’t too long ago that these teams were competing against each other as the top dogs in the Big Ten conference. Based on MSU’s 63-57 win over Illinois you wouldn’t be able to tell the conference title was on the line.  MSU trailed through much of the first half and were down by double digits at the half.  A strong second half led by Drew Neitzel and Goran Suton led MSU to a 28-5 run and a double digit lead of their own.

Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal writes that the Spartans’ defense tormented the Illini in the second half and proved to be the difference in the game.

An incredible 28-5 MSU stretch ensued - covering the first 13 minutes of the second half and turning that deficit into a 51-39 lead. The Spartans (15-4 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) held on, 63-57, in a rivalry game they absolutely had to have.

Neitzel and Travis Walton made it happen with in-your-face irritation Illinois’ guards couldn’t handle.

“That stretch was a gut-check stretch,” MSU coach Tom Izzo said of the 28-5 run, which included seven of Neitzel’s game-high 19 points. “It was, ‘Are you gonna reach down and play through fatigue? Are you gonna reach down and play against a team that man for man might be better than you? Are you gonna reach down after what I would call an embarrassing first half?’ I thought our guys answered the bell.”

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