The writing was on the wall inside the Breslin Center on Feb. 26, 2022. Michigan State football head coach Mel Tucker arrived before tip-off to get the Izzone chopping' and support freshman guard Keon Coleman and redshirt freshman guard Maliq Carr, both of whom played for Tucker this fall. On a skid and flirting with the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans' needed this win and the energy was there for them to take it. And they did.

The Spartans snuffed out the No. 4 Boilermakers' red hot offense 68-65, signed and sealed by a step-back three-pointer courtesy of junior guard Tyson Walker with 1.4 seconds left in regulation. 

The win all but secured head coach Tom Izzo's 24th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance on the same night he tied Indiana's hall of fame head coach Bob Knight for most wins in Big Ten history.