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Sweetness!! Michigan State Spartans Shuts Down Virginia To Advance

By Mike Dallas

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After narrowly beating Georgia, Michigan State looked to continue their tournament run against a very good Virginia team.

The last time Virginia and Michigan State faced off, Michigan State walked away with a victory in last year’s tournament. With the sour taste in their mouths, Virginia did their best to even the score but failed to do so. Virginia fell to MSU, 60-54, and has been put out of the tournament two years in a row by the Spartans.

It was the Travis Trice show, well for the first six minutes of the first half at least. Trice scored 13 points and gave Michigan State the early spark they needed to take a 23-18 lead at the half.

Aside from Trice, no other Spartan scored more than five points or shot the ball well. Denzel Valentine was held scoreless and watched most of the first half after picking up two early fouls.

From two of the nation’s best defenses, the first half was what anybody would expect. Tough battle on the boards and baskets not easy to come by.

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    • The defense for MSU held a good Virginia offense to 27 percent from the floor and held them to just two free-throw attempts.

    For Virginia, Darion Atkins seemed like the only player who knew how to score. Atkins scored six points, had eight rebounds and blocked two shots while the rest of the team struggled to find their shots against the physical Spartan defense.

    Even though the Spartans had the momentum in the first half, Virginia was still able to close out the first half well and stay within striking distance.

    Branden Dawson picked up where Travis Trice left off. The most active Spartan scored, 15, gabbed nine and blocked four shots.  Trice finished with 23 points and three assist.

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    He led Michigan State’s tenacious defense that held a Virginia team without a field goal for a nine minute stretch. The Spartans had their stretches of scoring droughts as well but did just enough offensively to hold their lead.

    Michigan State held Virginia to 30 percent, including a less than impressive 13 percent from three, even though they lost the rebounding battle.

    The win comes virtually without the help of one of their best players, Denzel Valentine. Plagued by fouls, Valentine was unable to make his usual impact, but his teammates were able to pick up his slack.

    With a close win, it would not be right if the Spartan’s free-throw struggles weren’t brought up. As a team, MSU shot 61 percent from the line. Their struggles from the line have been well documented throughout the year and today was no different, percentage wise. Knocking down key free throws in the final minute of the game helped MSU advance.

    Despite Dawson’s efforts, the tough theme continued in the second half for both teams. Baskets were still hard to come by and each time fought for rebounds. Nevertheless, MSU was up for everything Virginia threw at them and will advance to the Sweet 16 for the second year in a row.

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