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

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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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 17: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines during the championship game of the Big Ten Basketball Tournament at the United Center on March 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

4. Xavier Tillman has become a matchup nightmare

Michigan fans would be the first to admit it, when Xavier Tillman is on the floor, it gets that much more difficult to score on the Spartans. Sure, Nick Ward might be an elite post scorer, when 100 percent healthy, but Tillman has been a matchup problem for the Wolverines all season long.

In each of the three meetings, he’s played a huge role, getting the start twice and putting together three solid games to improve the Spartans to 3-0 against the Wolverines.

We saw much of the same in the Big Ten Tournament title game as he played 24 minutes, scoring nine points with 11 rebounds and a block. He was a difference maker on defense because the guards thought twice about driving on him — just look at what he did in East Lansing with about five blocks at the rim.

If the Spartans are going to make it far in the NCAA Tournament, they’ll need him to play 20-plus minutes and still find a way to integrate Ward into the action.

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