Michigan State Outlasts Purdue 72-66 Despite Dawson's Injury
By NOAH TRISTER/AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Travis Trice equaled a career high with 27 points and Matt Costello lifted Michigan State at both ends of the court, helping the Spartans to a 72-66 victory over Purdue on Wednesday night.
The Spartans (20-10, 11-6 Big Ten) played the whole second half without Branden Dawson, who appeared to take a shot to the head and was limited to nine minutes on his senior night.
Somehow, Michigan State held its own inside against Purdue's pair of 7-footers. A.J. Hammons managed only seven points on 3-of-12 shooting for the Boilermakers (19-11, 11-6), and Isaac Haas had nine points but only two rebounds.
Michigan State snapped a two-game losing streak and at least momentarily calmed concerns over its NCAA tournament chances. Purdue, meanwhile, missed a chance to pick up a significant road win as the regular season winds down.
The game was physical from the start. Purdue's Dakota Mathias left for a bit with what looked like a head injury, and Dawson appeared to be hit in the head during a scramble for a rebound in the first half.
With the Boilermakers up 25-16, Hammons was called for a flagrant foul. Michigan State cut into the lead and trailed 30-27 at halftime.
Already without Dawson, the Spartans lost Denzel Valentine early in the second half - but what looked like an injury to his right leg only kept the junior out for 81 seconds. It was around then that Costello began to assert himself, defending valiantly against Hammons and keeping Purdue from establishing any real superiority around the basket.
Costello finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, and junior Colby Wollenman pitched in with four points and four rebounds in 14 minutes - the most he's played in his career against a Big Ten opponent. At one point, Wollenman made a nice pass to Marvin Clark Jr., whose 3-pointer put Michigan State up 39-33. After that unlikely combination produced a big basket, Spartans coach Tom Izzo flashed a surprised-looking smile on the sideline.
Michigan State went on a 13-1 run early in the second half and took a 45-34 lead, and Trice helped the Spartans maintain a comfortable advantage. Early in the first half, he took off for a pair of one-handed breakaway dunks, and that was only the beginning. He scored 18 points in the second half, although he too was shaken up toward the end when Purdue's Basil Smotherman knocked him over in the open court after Michigan State broke the Boilermakers' press.
Costello provided perhaps the game's biggest highlight when he rebounded a missed free throw by Trice and threw down a one-handed dunk while being fouled, giving Michigan State a 56-44 lead with 3:57 left.
TIP-INS
Purdue: No current Purdue player has beaten Michigan State. The Spartans have won seven straight in the series.
Michigan State: The Spartans and Izzo have won at least 20 games in 15 of the last 18 seasons.
UP NEXT
Purdue: Hosts Illinois on Saturday.
Michigan State: Plays at Indiana on Saturday.
