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BOX SCORE
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) – They started by walking on to the
Breslin Center floor with their parents and loved ones and ended by
jumping on the scorer's table in celebrating at least a share of
their fourth Big Ten regular season title in as many years.
|  | | Michigan State senior Andre Hutson holds up the Spartans' Big Ten trophy. |
Michigan State's seniors – Andre Hutson, Charlie Bell, Mike
Chappell, David Thomas and Brandon Smith – led the way Saturday as
the third-ranked Spartans defeated Michigan 78-57.
"This is a tremendous feeling," Thomas said. "We were just
dancing in the locker room."
Hutson had 19 points and nine rebounds, and Bell, who started
his school-record 129th game, had six points, seven rebounds and
seven assists.
The quintet, who also have won two conference tournament
championships, been to two consecutive Final Fours and set a Big
Ten record with 111 wins, celebrated after the game as students
swarmed the floor and confetti rained down.
"These were the best four years of my life," Hutson told the
crowd as the 2001 Big Ten champions banner was raised to the
rafters.
The Spartans (24-3, 13-3) hold a half-game lead over No. 5
Illinois, which plays at Minnesota on Sunday.
If Illinois wins, the teams share the crown, but the Illini
would go into next week's Big Ten tournament with the No. 1 seed
based on a win in the teams' only meeting of the season, 77-66 on
Feb. 6.
Michigan State, which led by as many as 26 points, opened the
second half with a 10-2 run, highlighted by a reverse lay-in and a
dunk off an inbounds pass by Jason Richardson, who finished with 15
points.
LaVell Blanchard, a runner-up to Richardson as Michigan Mr.
Basketball in 1999, scored only five points on 2-of-11 shooting for
the Wolverines (10-17, 4-12). He had a game-high 27 points in the
previous meeting – a 91-64 Michigan State win on Jan. 30.
"He's not a secret," Michigan head coach Brian Ellerbe said.
"He's going to be played hard. Just because he didn't score
doesn't mean he didn't play well."
Bernard Robinson Jr. led Michigan with 19 points.
Michigan State, which leads the nation in rebounding margin,
again dominated on the glass. The Spartans, who outrebounded
Michigan 42-24 on Jan. 30, had a 41-23 margin Saturday.
"I think it's an effort-related statistic," Michigan State
head coach Tom Izzo said. "It shows that we were working hard."
A 15-3 run over four minutes – highlighted by four points from
Aloysius Anagonye – gave the Spartans a 38-19 lead with less than
four minutes to go in the first half and Michigan State led 42-27
at halftime.
Although Michigan holds an 88-63 margin in the all-time series,
the Spartans have dominated in recent years, including a 51-point
thrashing of the Wolverines a year ago.
"We're going to hold our heads up," Michigan's Josh Moore
said. "I don't think anyone would say that after we lost at
Crisler (Arena)."
Michigan has lost eight of nine, with all but one decided by a
double-digit margin.
"I think everyone thought it was just going to be a blowout,
and they didn't let that happen," Izzo said.
Bell deliberately traveled with less than three minutes
remaining and a 74-53 lead to allow the team's five seniors to come
out of the game at the same time.
The seniors, all of whom are expected to graduate in May,
finished 56-3 at the Breslin Center.
"This definitely has been the hardest-earned championship for
me," Hutson said. "It's one I'll always cherish. We're about
winning championships. It's all we've ever done."
Michigan State becomes only the fourth team to win four straight
regular season conference crowns, joining Chicago (1907-1910), Ohio
State (1960-1964) and Indiana (1973-1976).
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ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Michigan Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 MSU's Jason Richardson grabs the board and skies through the lane for the jam.
avi: 1159 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Michigan's Bernard Robinson Jr. works the baseline and puts in the nice left-handed reverse.
avi: 741 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
MSU's Charlie Bell misses the three but Aloysius Anagonye follows up with the bucket.
avi: 1063 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Michigan's Bernard Robinson Jr. draws the defense and gets the dish to Leon Jones for the bucket.
avi: 603 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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