Illini battle back, but Michigan State clinches at least a share of Big Ten
CHAMPAIGN - Remember how Illinois fans nearly razed the Allstate Arena and wrecked unprepared eardrums with their frenzied screaming in the waning moments of the 2005 Arizona game?
That's how loud it got Sunday afternoon at Assembly Hall when Jeffrey Jordan stole the ball from Korie Lucious and raced in for a hanging layup with 7:20 to go.
After chasing No. 9 Michigan State throughout an emotional Senior Day, the Illini and their faithful hollered to the heavens as they rejoiced in the game's first tie.
The Spartans, meanwhile, retreated to their timeout huddle and figured out how to earn a share of their first Big Ten title since 2001.
Defense.
Michigan State held the overeager Illini to 1 point on their next seven possessions and pulled away in the final minute for a 74-64 Big Ten victory before a wild sellout crowd.
No. 20 Illinois, which hadn't lost a Senior Day game since 1999, dropped a chance to pull within a half-game of the Spartans (23-5, 13-3).
"The fans here today were unbelievable," said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. "It was nuts. So that made it even sweeter to be able to go in and win under that kind of adversity."
And made it even more painful for Illinois (23-7, 11-6) to accept the result of the final home game for senior guards Chester Frazier and Trent Meacham.
Frazier shook off a hard first-half fall to finish with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, while Meacham had to shake three tough possessions with the game in the balance.
After Jordan's steal and layup pulled Illinois into a 58-58 tie, the hosts had three tries to take their first lead.
On the first possession, the shot clock wound down and Meacham traveled trying to make a late drive between defenders.
On the second, Meacham missed a tough 3-pointer as the shot clock nearly expired. On the third, Meacham tried a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer in transition from the top of the key that went well left.
"We fought the whole game just to get it back," Meacham said. "I missed a wide-open 3, we didn't make a couple plays there, and we didn't execute that well offensively."
Part of the reason for that? Izzo's unlikely decision during his timeout to put in 6-foot-11, 260-pound senior Ibong Ibok to stop Mike Tisdale.
The 7-1 Tisdale kept posting up smaller Spartans and used hook shots and free throws to score 13 of his team-high 15 points in the first 12 minutes of the second half. The slender sophomore's spree chopped Illinois' 41-30 deficit to 58-53 with 8:51 to go.
But once Ibok entered for the first time in three games with 7:07 left, Tisdale took just 1 shot the rest of the way - and the fifth-year senior swatted it out of bounds.
"It was a little tougher," Tisdale said. "Obviously he's pretty big. We were still looking for it, but he did a good job."
Ibok did nothing statistically during his six-minute stint except for 1 block and 1 foul, but he might have passed point guard Kalin Lucas (18 points, 4 assists) to become MSU's MVP.
"That's one of the kids you've just got to say you love," Izzo said. "He's a graduate student, hasn't been home (Nigeria) in six years, and he just never complains.
"He's a big reason we won a share of the championship. The players were so excited for him afterward. It was cool."