Wednesday night's Michigan State vs. Maryland game was one of the best of the Big Ten season not just because it was between two of the Big Ten's best teams in an electric environment, but also because it came down to the final buzzer.
The Spartans were able to hang on for a 58-55 buzzer-beating win (thanks, Tre Holloman) in one of the best defensive battles of the season.
It was yet another gutsy win by Michigan State as the Spartans were smothering defensively, holding one of the best offenses in the Big Ten to just 55 points and they shot well under 50 percent from the floor. The Terrapins actually didn't score a field goal in the final 5:07 as all of their points came from the free throw line down the stretch.
Michigan State is now 23-5 on the season and in first place in the Big Ten, with Michigan, at 14-3.
Maryland head coach Kevin Willard had a lot of good things to say about Michigan State after the game, including saying the Spartans are unlike any team that the Terrapins will see all season and maybe in the future, per SpartansWire.
"What Michigan State so tough, it's unlike any team we'll see the rest of the year, maybe in the future, their pick and roll defense is so good because they constantly have fresh big guys on the court. I mean, he's playing five big guys minutes… Where they wear you out is their pick and roll defense is elite, because everyone is really, really fresh at all times. We'll go back and look at it and change some things if we play them again."Kevin Willard, via SpartansWire
Opposing coaches have been heaping praise onto Michigan State all year long and this is just the latest but it means a lot coming from the coach of the third-best team in the conference.
Michigan State just went through a stretch against Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, and Maryland and finished 4-0. There are three games left, so it's time for the Spartans to show Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan what Maryland just saw defensively.