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Michigan State Basketball: Top 10 moments from 2019-20 season

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 25: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans late in the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Breslin Center on February 25, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 25: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans late in the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Breslin Center on February 25, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 11: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans shoots the ball during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on February 11, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 11: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans shoots the ball during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center on February 11, 2020 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

2. Xavier Tillman’s game-winning dunk vs. Illinois

I went back and forth with this one. On one hand, this felt like it should be the No. 1 moment because it essentially saved the season and kept Michigan State in the running for the Big Ten title even when it seemed completely lost. On the other hand, there was one moment that just seemed to top everything.

Xavier Tillman’s dunk was gigantic, though.

Michigan State was fresh off a three-game losing streak but had built a 20-point lead over Illinois on the road. It looked like the Spartans were about to end that losing streak emphatically, but the Illini fought back to take the lead with under 20 seconds left.

All seemed lost and you could almost feel the fanbase giving up on the game and staring down the barrel at a four-game losing streak. And then Tillman saved the day and the season.

https://twitter.com/blacksheep_msu/status/1227447576284344321?s=20

After the game, Cassius Winston admitted that he didn’t miss the layup off the backboard on purpose and Tillman was just in the perfect place at the perfect time. That dunk gave the Spartans a win when they needed it in the worst way.

Without this dunk, Michigan State doesn’t win the Big Ten.

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