IU drops final home game to Michigan State

The Hoosiers saved one of their best performances this season in Assembly Hall for last. Unfortunately for the rowdy IU crowd, it simply wasn’t enough.

Michigan State (24-5, 14-3) clinched the Big Ten regular season championship outright and dropped IU (6-23, 1-16) 64-59 on Tuesday, Kyle Taber’s Senior Night.

But the first-against-last game was far from half-hearted. Every time Michigan State appeared to pull away, IU clawed right back in the game, showing the Hoosier faithful positive signs for the future.

Three minutes into the game, leading scorer Devan Dumes left with an injury, but the Hoosiers kept it close throughout.

Despite Dumes’ absence, the Hoosiers fought with the same spirit they had throughout most of the season. Freshman Nick Williams flew over the scorer’s table attempting a steal, and junior Tijan Jobe nearly wiped out a courtside-seated fan while trying to save a ball.

Williams’ second-half 3 brought the Hoosiers within two points at 5:16, and IU kept it to a one-possession game with less than 1 minute left. But IU couldn’t execute on offense down the stretch, and for the second game in a row, a close game was literally slammed shut on the Hoosiers.

Spartan junior Raymar Morgan put back a one-handed, tomahawk slam that gave Michigan State a four-point lead with 27 seconds left.

Tuesday was one of the better all-around games his team has played this season, freshman Malik Story said, but that doesn’t mean anyone on the team is happy.

“It drives us just crazy how close we are,” Story said. “We just want it. We want more than to be just close. We want to win.”

Freshman Verdell Jones made up for Dumes’ absence, hitting 11 of his 15 points in the first half.

But Jones couldn’t stay in front of Michigan State point guard Kalin Lucas. Lucas, the catalyst for the potent Spartan fast-break offense, hit big jump shots, penetrated the lane and set up his teammates with five assists.

During his post-game address, Taber said his team – and the program – is well on its way.

“You guys are tremendous,” Taber told the crowd. “I mean, I can’t say enough about you guys. This program is heading in the right direction, as you can see tonight.”

Despite the final outcome, IU coach Tom Crean said the young Hoosiers – and the one elder – represent the University well.

“We don’t have all the results that we would like,” Crean said. “But if tonight has proved anything and if this year has proved anything, it’s we’ve got a group of people who represent Indiana very well.”