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Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from 2019 Big Ten tourney title win

By Connor Muldowney

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 17: Matt McQuaid #20 and Kenny Goins #25 of the Michigan State Spartans pose for photos after beating the Michigan Wolverines 65-60 in the the championship game of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 17: Matt McQuaid #20 and Kenny Goins #25 of the Michigan State Spartans pose for photos after beating the Michigan Wolverines 65-60 in the the championship game of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Michigan State basketball pulled off the unthinkable on Sunday with a third win over Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament title game. What’d we learn?

For the third time this season, Michigan State basketball has defeated its rival. The Spartans came from 12 down to beat the Wolverines in the Big Ten Tournament title game, going 3-0 against Michigan on the season with a potential fourth matchup looming if both teams can make the Final Four.

It’s not easy to beat anyone three times in a single season, let alone a top-10 rival in a 22-day span, but Tom Izzo has been that good this season and proved that he was a major snub for Big Ten Coach of the Year.

What else did we learn from Sunday afternoon’s Michigan State tourney title win over Michigan?

5. This team shows never shows any quit

How many times has this team had to come from behind this season and it showed no quit? It’s been each of the Michigan games, actually.

The first Michigan game in Ann Arbor saw the Spartans down by as many as seven in the second half, in danger of letting the game slip away. They came back to win by seven on the road. The Michigan game in East Lansing saw Michigan up by as much as 12 in the first half, but the Spartans came back and eventually pulled away.

This time around, Michigan State was down 13 in the second half and it looked like the game was bordering on out of control but Tom Izzo kept his guys even-keeled and they pulled off a remarkable comeback to win by five.

No matter what teams throw at the Spartans, they’re not a team that quits — just look at the Purdue loss earlier in the season when they were down 20 in the second half.

Michigan State has to frustrate teams to the max because it just never lets up.

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