EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Michigan State's senior class tied a
Big Ten record with 108 wins, but it would trade some of those
victories for one fewer Big Ten loss this season.
Andre Hutson had 15 points and Zach Randolph added 14 as the
fifth-ranked Spartans (21-3, 10-3) beat Indiana 66-57 Tuesday
night, again featuring their suffocating defense and tenacious
rebounding.
|  | | Zach Randolph puts up a shot over Jarrad Odle for two of his 14 points in the Spartans' win. |
"The 108 wins is big, but the Big Ten championship would be so
much sweeter," Hutson said. "I'm definitely going to be rooting
for Ohio State (against Illinois) on Thursday."
To win a fourth consecutive Big Ten title, Michigan State has to
win its final three conference games and needs Illinois (21-5,
11-2, No. 4 ESPN/USA Today, No. 3 AP) to lose at least one of its final three.
The 108th win for Michigan State's senior class tied the Big Ten
record set by Indiana teams from 1972-76 and 1990-94.
David Thomas had 11 points and eight rebounds for the Spartans.
The Hoosiers (16-11, 7-6) had won four of their previous five
games.
Indiana's Kirk Haston, who hit a 3-pointer as time expired to
snap Michigan State's 23-game winning streak on Jan. 7, had 18
points and fouled out. Jared Jeffries scored nine points on 4-for-15
shooting.
"I thought they were just too strong and physical for us,"
Indiana coach Mike Davis said.
It was clear that Randolph was inspired to play well when he had
an extra bounce in his step and a smile on his face before the
game.
The Marion, Ind., native missed a free throw in the final minute
in the loss at Indiana and he was the player guarding Haston on the
game-winning shot.
Randolph finished second to Jeffries for the state's Mr.
Basketball award, but he beat Jeffries' Bloomington North High
School team for the state championship.
He smiled when he was asked how it felt to outplay Jeffries in a
win.
"It felt good, but I'm not one to brag on my game," Randolph
said. "He's a good player and a good guy. We'll have more battles
down the road."
Indiana led after the first basket, but the Spartans controlled
the game.
The Hoosiers trailed by double digits for much of the first half
and were behind by as many as 14 points in the second half, but
they cut the deficit to four three times.
Michigan State scored on the ensuing possession each time the
Hoosiers cut the deficit to four. It put the game away for good
with a 7-0 run to take a 58-46 lead with five minutes left.
The Spartans shot just 42.9 percent, but they turned 16
offensive rebounds into 20 points and held Indiana to 35 percent
shooting.
"It wasn't easy and it wasn't always pretty, but it was a big
win for us," Michigan State coach Izzo said. "We did the things
that our team has done in the past."
Former Indiana star Quinn Buckner, the point guard when Indiana
set the four-year record in the mid-1970s, said the Spartans will
appreciate their feat in the future much more than they're able to
now.
"It's going to be really special to them down the road, in 10
years or so," Buckner said. "If it was easy to do what they've
done and what we did, more teams would be able to say they won that
many games."
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Indiana Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Michigan State defense gets the stop and Marcus Taylor finds a streaking Andre Hutson for the jam.
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Zach Randolph hauls in the rebound and muscles it back for the deuce.
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Jarrad Odle's 3-pointer brings the Hoosiers within four points of the Spartans.
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 Coach Tom Izzo thought the Spartans' rebounding played a huge role in their victory.
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