Michigan State pulls away from Pittsburgh
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Pitt shot 2-for-17 from 3-point range and 32 percent overall, and got the number that high only because it warmed up toward the end. The fight from 10 down in the second half was impressive, as was the effort by Fields, who penetrated, made a couple of jumpers when he was smothered and put together a gritty effort, typical of what he’s been doing since returning from a broken foot about seven weeks ago.
Sam Young finished with 15 points and four blocked shots for the Panthers. DeJuan Blair had 10 points and four blocks, as well.
“It’s tough,” Fields said. “Obviously, we were on a roll. But all along, we knew it didn’t mean anything, because any time in this tournament, if you don’t do the right things, you would be eliminated.”
Goran Suton kept Michigan State in it early. Heeding Izzo’s pleas to stay tough and consistent, he bodied up with Pitt’s big men to finish with 14 points and nine rebounds.
The game was, as advertised, a slugfest.
The first takedown came at 1:17 of the first round — make that half — when Michigan State’s Raymar Morgan swung Keith Benjamin to the floor. No foul was called.
They grappled and banged throughout, though it never got too out of control.
And what people will remember most was the fantastic guard play from the Spartans — the factor that swung this game late, and something that sometimes gets overlooked with all the talk of their toughness.
“He’s huge,” Morgan said of Neitzel, the team’s star. “His heart is unbelievable. For him to step up and knock down big shot after big shot was huge for us.”
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