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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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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 25: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a call in the first half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half of the game 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 reacts to a call in the first half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first half of the game at the Breslin Center on February 25, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

7. Xavier Tillman stuffs Luka Garza

Iowa fans will deny this until they’re blue in the face, but Xavier Tillman owned Luka Garza in the second half of the matchup in East Lansing near the end of the season.

Garza went off against other Spartan defenders in the first 20 minutes as Tillman found himself in early foul trouble, but once he came out of the locker room in the second half, he couldn’t seem to get anything going. He was stymied by Tillman all evening long and his shooting numbers were ugly, at best — under 25 percent vs. Tillman.

The play of the game had to be this block by Tillman on Garza which not only gave us the patented Tillman yelling face along with his flexing, but shut the door on Iowa.

There’s a reason Tillman would go on to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and his performance in this one against the conference’s player of the year was a major contributor. He also shut down Lamar Stevens two games later and finished the season as Michigan State’s all-time blocks leader.

If he doesn’t return for his senior year, we’ll have to remember him with this incredible block on Garza to cement a win over Iowa and help continue a run at the Big Ten title.

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