Down just one point with 17 seconds left to play in Sunday's game against No. 15 Syracuse, MSU called a time-out to set up an open look at the game's winning basket.
It wouldn't come.
The Spartans (14-11 overall, 6-6 Big Ten) dropped their second home game of the season against a nonconference opponent Sunday afternoon, narrowly losing to the Orangemen (19-4) in frantic fashion, 76-75.
MSU had three short-range chances - albeit obstructed ones - from sophomore guard Kelvin Torbert, senior forward Adam Ballinger and sophomore forward/guard Alan Anderson to nail the game-winning shot in the game's final seconds.
Syracuse's strong zone defense never relented, locked up and sealed the game.
Head coach Tom Izzo said Sunday's game shouldn't cast a shadow over his team's effort.
"It's a game I think we could've won, not saying we should've, but I think we could have," he said. "It was a disappointing and heartbreaking loss, yet I can't fault my players for how we played today."
MSU played an overall sound game against a quick and athletic Syracuse team.
Sophomore guard Chris Hill shined in the loss. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard set MSU and Big Ten single-game records in 3-point field goals attempted (18) and 3-pointers made (10) en route to his career-high 34-point performance.
Following the game, Hill took a team-oriented approach to assessing MSU's performance and rest of the season.
"We can't afford another loss," he said. "We feel like we're good enough to play with anyone in the country."
Freshman center Paul Davis complimented Hill's play, calling it an abnormality to lose when Hill plays so well.
"Ninety-nine times out of 100 we're not going to lose a game if (Hill) scores 30," he said.
Davis added the game's final play might have been marred by an official's non-call on Torbert's final shot.
"KT's call was questionable if he was fouled or not," he said. "But we made some mistakes early that cost us in the end."
Davis finished with 10 points and four rebounds.
Although Hill put the team on his back, four Orangemen scored in double digits. Syracuse's prolific freshman Carmelo Anthony led the way, netting 25 points on 5-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
"He can do it all," Ballinger said, "Post up, shoot, drive. He kept them in the game."
Syracuse forward Hakim Warrick added 17 points and eight rebounds and guard Kueth Duany scored 10.
If Hill said MSU is good enough to play with anyone in the nation, he should be hoping the NCAA Tournament selection committee agrees. MSU is a definitive bubble team entering the final stretch - a win Sunday over the strong Syracuse team would have helped their chances immensely.
Though the Spartans are not yet out of contention for a berth in the field of 65, Izzo said there was little time to dwell on the slim loss.
"I think I'll take 17 or 18 wins," Izzo said. "I've said that before. Just get ready for tomorrow."
MSU hosts Minnesota (16-7, 8-4) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Breslin Center.
