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Michigan State tops Buckeyes for Big Ten crown

Mar 12, 2012 - 1:11 AM Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Draymond Green, No. 8 Michigan State's leading scorer and the conference player of the year, made just four of his 15 field goal attempts in Sunday's Big Ten Tournament championship game, but earned his honors with the biggest shot of the game.

Green's three-pointer with 1:35 remaining ended an MSU scoreless drought of almost four minutes and stopped No. 7 Ohio State's comeback attempt as the Spartans took down the Buckeyes, 68-64, for the conference tourney title.

Brandon Wood filled the scoring hole with 21 points, Green finished with 12 points and nine rebounds and Derrick Nix contributed 10 points for the top- seeded Spartans (27-7), who secured a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with their first title since back-to-back championships in 1999-2000.

"It's a great thing to be a No. 1 seed, but at the end of the day with the way the NCAA is now, it doesn't really mean much," Green said afterward. "It may help you out in the first game."

Michigan State also won the national championship in 2000. It will open with No. 16 seed LIU-Brooklyn in the NCAAs on Friday.

Jared Sullinger paced third-seeded Ohio State (27-7) with 18 points and added nine boards while Aaron Craft had 10 and eight in defeat. The Buckeyes were denied their third consecutive Big Ten trophy and will be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tourney.

"We just didn't execute this game and we didn't play to our best ability this game, but fortunately we have another day of practice," said Sullinger. "Now we're going into a tournament where it's just won and done. You don't know what's going to happen the next day so you just gotta give it your all."

Green's trey answered a Ohio State comeback that brought the Buckeyes to within 64-62. They missed eight of their last nine shots from the floor to end any hopes of recreating their come-from-behind win over MSU on the final day of the regular season.

After trailing 34-32 at intermission, Ohio State opened the second half on a 20-9 run, finished off by Deshaun Thomas' try that made it 52-45.

But the Spartans responded with a 10-0 spurt of their own, beginning with a dunk by Nix before Wood personally scored eight straight.

Ohio State stayed close -- never trailing by more than five points thereafter -- but was unable to make it over the hump.

Game Notes

Michigan State shot 48.1 percent (26-of-54) from the field while holding Ohio State to 39.7 percent (25-of-63)...The Spartans made 9-of-21 three-point attempts...The Buckeyes held a 43-30 rebounding advantage...There were five ties and 16 lead changes...MSU leads the all-time series 65-54.