Michigan State University Wins; 70-63
Michigan State didn’t exactly dominate Georgia, but played good enough for the win, 70-63 on Friday in the NCAA Tournament's round of 64.
Denzel Valentine scored 16 points and went 6-for-6 at the free throw line in the final 30 seconds for the Spartans.
Travis Trice scored 15 points and Branden Dawson had 14 points.
Michigan State wobbled down the stretch, nearly blowing a 10-point lead in the final 1:16.
Valentine's free throws were critical as Georgia (21-12) rallied to make it a one-possession game in a finish that at one point had Spartans longtime coach Tom Izzo turning and punching the scorer's table.
Still, Michigan State did enough to hang on, showing at least glimpses of the experience from playing in 18 straight NCAA Tournaments.
It was the Spartans’ 18th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and the 9th straight year in which they’ve won at least one game.
MSU will play the winner of the Virginia/Belmont game on Sunday. Hear the game live on 95.3 WBCK.
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