Michigan State and Purdue were tied at 65 with the shot clock and the game clock winding down when Spartans point guard Tyson Walker drained a 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to give MSU a 68-65 win vs. No. 4 Purdue. The Spartan win snapped two three-game streaks: a three-game losing skid for Michigan State and a three-game winning streak for Purdue.
The loss was big for the Boilermakers, who entered the game tied with Wisconsin atop the Big Ten standings with the Spartans' victory marked Tom Izzo's 662nd at Michigan State, tying Indiana's Bob Knight for the most wins at a Big Ten school.
Tyson Walker just hit the biggest shot of his life. 😱 pic.twitter.com/jlV4C1LR8u
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 26, 2022
The two teams were locked in an airtight game, with Michigan State leading 46-44 before the Spartans went on a quick run. A Gabe Brown 3-pointer put Michigan State up by five points, then Julius Marble scored six straight to give Michigan State its biggest lead of the game at 11 points with more than 10 minutes remaining.
Purdue didn't go away. The Boilermakers clawed to within one point at 61-60 on a Trevion Williams make with slightly more than two minutes left. After AJ Hoggard stretched it back to three on a basket inside through contact — he missed the ensuing free throw — Jaden Ivey got those two points back on a layup goaltended by Marcus Bingham.
Ivey drew a blocking foul on Purdue's next possession and sank the opening free throw on a one-and-one, tying the game. But he missed the second and Zach Edey was whistled on the battle for the rebound, giving Julius Marble his own chance at a 1-and-1. Marble — an 80.4% free-throw shooter coming in, who had missed his two free-throw attempts earlier in the game, made both for a 65-63 Michigan State edge.
Williams tied the game again with 30.1 seconds left when he tipped in his own miss. Hoggard left the game with cramps, putting the ball in Walker's hands, and he didn't disappoint.
Brown paced four Spartans in double figures with 13 points, while Zach Edey and Trevion Williams combined for 36 points for the Boilermakers.
Purdue (24-5, 13-5) will now travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday in a game with major Big Ten title ramifications. Michigan State (19-9, 10-7) will also go on the road Tuesday for road game at rival Michigan.
