EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State’s defense was on point again Friday night at the Breslin Center, but the offense decided to take most of the second half off as the Spartans hosted Purdue.
That, and a decision to go small late in the game, cost No. 23 Michigan State as Purdue’s Trevion Williams hit a jumper with 4.5 seconds to play to give the Boilermakers a 55-54 victory.
It was a stunning turnaround after Michigan State (8-4, 2-4 Big Ten) led by 17 early in the second half but then went more than 12 minutes without a field goal. Purdue took advantage, slowly chipping away, finally grabbing the lead on its final possession.
Williams scored 26 for the Boilermakers (8-5, 3-3), with 24 of his points coming in the second half.
Aaron Henry scored 13 for Michigan State, including a jumper with a minute to play that put Michigan State ahead by three. Joshua Langford added 10 for the Spartans.
The defense that showed up earlier in the week against Rutgers was back in the first half as Michigan State locked down Purdue, forcing the Boilermakers to open the game just 2-for-13 shooting, including an 0-for-7 stretch that came as the Spartans were busy tearing off 13 straight points, turning a one-point deficit into a 12-point lead at 20-8.
Henry got heated up in that stretch, scoring six points after Rocket Watts buried a couple of running jumpers.
The defense continued to play well down the stretch in the first half. After Purdue got six points in a row from Jaden Ivey, Michigan State held the Boilermakers scoreless over the final 3:59 of the half.
Purdue missed its final five shots while Michigan State closed making 4 of 6 as it used a 9-0 run to head to the locker room at halftime with a 31-16 lead.
After Langford opened the second half with a baseline jumper, Purdue went on an 8-0 run to pull within nine. But Langford made a free throw after a technical foul and then Henry dished to Julius Marble for a dunk to push the Michigan State lead back to 36-24 with 15:43 to play.
Purdue kept chipping away, however, and when Williams scored four straight, the Boilermakers were within 38-33 with 11:53 left in the game. That margin was down to 41-38 after a three-point play from Williams with 8:26 left as Michigan State couldn’t buy a bucket.
The Spartans stayed ahead at the line and when Joey Hauser’s 3-pointer ended a drought of more than 12 minutes and put Michigan State ahead, 48-43, with 3:42 to play. Williams hit a layup to pull Purdue within three and when he converted a pair of free throws with 1:21 to play, the Boilermakers were within 51-50.
Henry’s jumper in the lane with 1:01 to play put MSU up 53-50 and Henry then split a pair of free throws to make it 54-50. But Purdue got two free throws from Eric Hunter and after a steal, Williams split a pair of free throws. On the rebound of his miss, the ball was tied up and went to Purdue. That’s when Williams made his winning shot as Henry’s runner at the buzzer went off the rim.
