No. 3 Purdue opens Big Ten Tournament play with 67-62 win over Michigan State
Fri, Mar 15, 2024
NCAAB News (AP)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Zach Edey had 29 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, as the Boilermakers recovered from a blown 12-point lead to beat the Spartans 67-62 in a hard-nosed quarterfinal game in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday.
Lance Jones added 10 points for the Boilermakers (29-3), who advanced to play the Wisconsin-Northwestern winner in the semifinals on Saturday.
Tyson Walker had 15 points, Malik Hall pitched in 12 points and Tre Holloman scored 10 points for the Spartans (19-14), who had an 18-0 edge in fast-break points and made a spirited rally to tie the game late before falling short in head coach Tom Izzo's 1,000th game on the bench.
Walker, the fifth-year guard, stepped up down the stretch to lead the surge.
He knocked down a mid-range jumper for the tie with 1:41 left, the closest the Spartans came since a 3-2 lead, but Fletcher Loyer answered with a 3-pointer from the corner on the other end for Purdue. Loyer pressed his index finger to his lips as he trotted up the court and appeared to shout something at the Michigan State bench as the teams dispersed for a timeout.
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