Clark started in place of injured senior forward Branden Dawson and did not disappoint. He worked the glass much like Dawson would have, finishing the game with five rebounds, a few of which came on the offensive end.

Ellis’ presence was important because freshman guard Lourawls Nairn found himself in foul trouble early in the first half. As Trice shifted over to the point, Ellis jetted down the court on fast breaks, knocked down three point looks, and even dove on the floor for loose balls.

Ellis finished the game with a career-high 16 points and three rebounds, and Clark finished with 13 points.

In a game where Trice and junior guard Denzel Valentine combined for just seven points at halftime, Clark and Ellis carried the Spartans for the game’s first 20 minutes. They were pleasant surprises and with their breakout performances, they challenged the status quo.

Much of the talk has been centered around the Big Three, but with a chance to to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten tournament and a double-bye, it was a pair of role players who allowed the Spartans to pull away with a win. 

Clark and Ellis showed a side of MSU that hadn’t been seen this year. So much has hinged on the play of Valentine, Trice, and Dawson, but for much of the game, those players were afterthoughts.

Against Purdue, the unsung hero was redshirt junior Colby Wollenman, who filled in and held his own in the post against A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas. Hammons and Haas towered over Wollenman, but it didn’t matter. Wollenman put forth a solid performance and helped MSU dominate the post.

Today, Clark and Ellis proved their worth, and all of a sudden, MSU’s bench has gained some trust. Certainly, it can’t be expected to provide performances to the extent that they have over the last two games, but as the season winds down, any production MSU can get from non-starters will be important.