EAST LANSING, Mich. _ Michigan State guard Eron Harris' college career is over.
The senior from Indianapolis will undergo surgery on his right knee after injuring it during Saturday's 80-63 loss at No. 16 Purdue, another major loss as Tom Izzo's team tries to balance a small and young lineup while pushing for an NCAA Tournament berth.
Harris drove to the basket with 9:18 to play in the second half, contorted his body for a layup and landed awkwardly under the hoop. He had to be wheeled off the court on a stretcher to a standing ovation from the Purdue fans. A number of Harris' teammates were crying.
"It's cruel to see a senior's career end this way," MSU coach Tom Izzo said in a release. "If there is a silver lining, it's that we expect Eron to be able to make a full recovery and pursue a basketball career after graduation. He's always worked for everything he's accomplished on the court, and that same passion and mindset will serve him well in his recovery.
"Basketball is important to all players, but for Eron it was a way of life. Very few have spent more time in this facility or worked harder than Eron has. That's why I'm confident his best basketball is still in front of him."
Izzo said he saw Harris walking on crutches after the game, and the MSU coach termed the initial diagnosis as a "badly sprained knee." Harris had an MRI on Saturday night after the team returned from West Lafayette, Ind.
Izzo said he and his players "feel absolutely awful for Eron."
"I couldn't ask for more than what Eron has given me and this program," Izzo said. "Over the last month, he's grown even more as a leader and been an example to his young teammates. And maybe I didn't even fully grasp it until I walked on the court and saw the admiration his teammates had for him and the tears in their eyes.
"There's no faking the respect they have for Eron as a man, as a player, and most importantly a teammate."
Harris is MSU's third-leading scorer at 10.7 points per game and averages 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists over 27 games, including 24 starts. He leads the Spartans with 43 made 3-pointers (38.7 percent) and is one of their best perimeter defenders.
His 22.9 minutes at shooting guard likely will be redistributed between fellow senior Alvin Ellis and sophomore Matt McQuaid.
The 6-foot-3 Harris arrived in East Lansing during the Spartans' 2014-15 run to the Final Four and sat out that season after transferring from West Virginia. He moved into the starting lineup and became a defensive stopper for last season's Big Ten championship team and started 62 games in his two seasons with the Spartans, finishing his college career with 1,489 points between MSU and West Virginia.
Harris is the third senior to suffer a season-ending knee injury this season. Forwards Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter both were lost during preseason workouts.
