“I give that kid a lot of credit after missing a month and coming back and playing 32 minutes in an intense game,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “If there’s any question about his mental or physical toughness, I think that should be erased.”

He finished with 24 points and four rebounds.

It was Payne who hit a game-tying three pinter with ten seconds left, only to see Wisconsin storm down the court and hit a jumper with one second left.

Payne returned from a seven-game hiatus because of a sore foot on Feb. 6 against Penn St., but the matchup against the Badgers was his first start in over a month.

“I was planting and cutting and chasing (Sam) Dekker around, so I gained some confidence in this game,” Payne said. “Dekker was coming off downscreens and running around. Second half, I was feeling more comfortable and could play more defense.”

Still, Payne’s stingy play wasn’t enough to overcome sophomore guard Gary Harris’ slump, as he finished 3-20 from the floor with six points.

The bad news doesn’t end there for the Spartans.

Senior guard Keith Appling, who missed the last two games with an injured wrist, was downgraded from day-to-day to week-to-week after the game.

“I’ve got a feeling Appling is out for a couple weeks,” Izzo said. “There’s no break, there’s no stress fracture, but he can’t even pass the ball or move his hand. I’ve got to play with the guys I’ve got.”

His replacement, junior guard Travis Trice, played a solid game scoring 13 points and dishing out a pair of assists.

Trice also hit a three-pointer with just under two minutes to go to bring the score back to a single possession.

He said the team isn’t trying to look ahead too much because all their goals are still in front of them.

“Since (Appling has) been hurt, I’ve been going to the whole time and not taking breaks in practice,” Trice said. “My mindset really is do whatever it takes to help the team win. That’s all I care about, winning a Big Ten title and National Championship. I don’t really know what else to do other than get all the reps I can and do what I have to do for the team to win.”

With Appling out for the foreseeable future, Trice and sophomore guard Denzel Valentine need to step up for the Spartans to gain any sort of momentum.

Izzo is an honest man, and he wasn’t afraid to speak the truth to anybody who would listen.

“I feel like I’m lying to you when I said theres nothing wrong,” Izzo said. “Maybe ask my trainer or my doctor because I’m sure as hell not an M.D., unless it stands for mentally disturbed.”