Michigan State Basketball: 5 most memorable plays from win over Duke

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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 31: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans dunks the ball against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

4. Matt McQuaid’s thunderous dunk

When you think of Matt McQuaid as a player, you don’t exactly picture a guy who can throw down with the best dunkers in the nation, but he can rise up every now and then when given an open lane.

Clearly he was feeling it early on against Duke because he raced down the floor after a Duke made free throw, out-hustling the Blue Devils’ entire defense and Cassius Winston found him down the sideline like a quarterback. McQuaid caught the pass, raced to the hoop, cocked his arm back and slammed it in with authority over Javin DeLaurier. He set the tone early.

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/1112463903173177344

Everyone kind of expected a typical McQuaid circus shot when DeLaurier was catching up to him, but he didn’t even think twice, throwing it down harder than he has in his entire career to give Michigan State a 12-5 lead just five minutes into the game.

It was after this dunk everyone realized the Spartans weren’t afraid of the Blue Devils and it truly brought life to Michigan State. Although Duke would go on to piece together a 12-0 run, the Spartans eventually responded with a 13-0 stretch of their own right before the half.

This will go down as the best dunk of McQuaid’s career.

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