Head coach Tom Izzo questions a play Mar. 20, 2015, during the second round of the NCAA tournament in a game against Georgia at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Spartans defeated the Bulldogs, 70-63.
The No. 3 MSU basketball team (7-0) used a 20-7 run in the last five minutes Sunday night to defeat the Providence Friars (6-1), 77-64 to take the Wooden Legacy crown in Anaheim, Calif.
Arguably two of the nation’s top basketball players squared off in this matchup, as MSU’s Denzel Valentine, who averaged 20.2 points, 9.2 assists and 9.3 rebounds heading into the showdown, did battle with Providence’s Kris Dunn, who averaged 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 steals before Sunday.
Valentine got into early foul trouble, picking up two personal fouls just over five minutes in. Valentine only recorded six points and three assists in the first half. Dunn finished with nine points, five rebounds and four assists after 20 minutes.
Senior Bryn Forbes shined in the first half for MSU, scoring 13 points and connecting on three shots from three-point land. He finished the game with a team high 18 points The Providence duo of Dunn and sophomore Ben Bentil, who had 13 points of his own to go along with 6 rebounds in the first, were the engines for Providence as they only trailed the Spartans 34-32 at halftime.
MSU opened the second half with a quick bucket, but then went on a 1-for-8 field goal drought to led Providence take a 45-39 lead. the Spartans regained a 48-47 lead after four straight points from Eron Harris, but a Dunn layup and free throw gave the Friars the lead right back with 10:30 left in the game.
Shortly after, MSU foul trouble kicked in, as Providence was in the bonus at the 10:02 mark in the second half. MSU responded well, as the bench played a vital role in the victory. MSU scored 36 bench points compared to only seven for Providence, who played only seven players.
The turning point occurred at the 8:07 remaining, as Dunn picked up his fourth foul and had to sit until the 4:20 mark. In between that time, MSU went on a 6-0 run and took a 59-57 lead behind four points right under the rim from Deyonta Davis. They continued that run even with Dunn on the floor, and a Matt McQuaid 3-pointer extended it to 62-57, MSU’s largest lead of the game up to that point.
Valentine ended the contest with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists. Davis finished the game with 12 points and six rebounds, shooting a near perfect 6-8 from the field. Harris was a bright spot for MSU all night, winding up with 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
MSU forced 10 Providence turnovers in the first half and 13 for the game, and the Spartans recorded six steals in the game. On the opposite side, MSU only turned the ball over only eight times throughout the game, building off their only 17 turnovers in the first two games of the tournament.
MSU had been out-rebounding opponents at will through its first six games, but the Friars gave them a challenge on the glass. Providence held the edge in rebounds after the first half 19-12, but MSU returned to old habits in the second half, and concluded the game holding the advantage in the rebounding category 35-28, including 10 offensive rebounds.
The Spartans were attacking the glass well, but sharing the ball even better. MSU finished with 18 assists on 26 made field goals, led by Valentine’s five.
Dunn finished with 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists, while Ben Bentil ended up with 20 points and seven rebounds for Providence. MSU’s next game is on Wednesday, Dec. 2 against Louisville in East Lansing.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
