Conventional wisdom says a basketball team can’t win a game committing 22 turnovers.
Friday night, the No. 2 MSU men’s basketball team did everything it could to buck conventional wisdom – making 53 percent of its shots, out-rebounding Florida by 16 and holding the lead for much of the second half.
But with 1:56 remaining, Florida’s Erving Walker hit a 3-pointer from well beyond the arc to give Florida a one-point lead, and the Gators held on to upset the Spartans 77-74 in the semifinals of the Legends Classic in Atlantic City, N.J.
The loss is the first of the year for MSU (4-1), while Florida (5-0) remains unbeaten. The Spartans play Massachusetts in the consolation game Saturday at 5:30 p.m., while the Gators face Rutgers afterward for the Legends Classic title.
A tip-in by sophomore forward Draymond Green kept MSU ahead, 71-69, with about two minutes to go, but Erving followed soon thereafter with his 3-pointer.
MSU had numerous chances to regain the lead, but couldn’t capitalize. After being fouled, sophomore guard Durrell Summers missed the front end of a one-and-one. Walker then made a pair of free throws to put Florida up three, 75-72.
Summers and Walker each split a pair free throws seconds later, and then a layup by Lucas pulled MSU within one, 75-74, with 23 seconds to go. Senior forward Raymar Morgan fouled Flordia’s Dan Werner, who made both free throws, giving MSU the ball down three with 17 seconds to go.
Summers had two open looks from 3-point land in the final eight seconds, but couldn’t get either to fall.
Lucas led all scorers with 20 points, and became the 40th player in MSU history to score 1,000 career points with a 3-pointer in the first half. Green had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore forward Delvon Roe and Summers each had 13.
Chandler Parsons (14 points) led five Gators in double figures.
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