Michigan State’s sweet story ends in crash
Spartans commit 21 turnovers, can't bring title to depressed state
 Eric Gay / AP Michigan State players Korie Lucious (34) and Marquise Gray console each other on the bench after their 89-72 loss to North Carolina on Monday. |
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DETROIT - Michigan State’s feel-good story ended with a thud.
The Spartans needed to play another sensational game just to have a chance against North Carolina on Monday night and they simply were awful.
The Tar Heels, of course, had a lot to do with that.
North Carolina set NCAA championship game records with 55 points and a 21-point lead en route to a 89-72 victory over Michigan State.
“I’m still proud of my guys,” former Spartan star and Hall of Fame guard Magic Johnson said, walking out of Ford Field with 3½ minutes left. “They played five great games to get here, but they just couldn’t do it another time.
“It’s still been an amazing ride to just get to this point.”
The Spartans provided their depressed state with a temporary diversion from its economic woes by beating top-seeded teams Connecticut and Louisville to reach the title game.
“I think if we played as well as we did the last couple games, it would’ve been a game,” coach Tom Izzo said. “I felt bad for the fans, but don’t feel bad for our team. We had a heck of a year.”
Michigan State and its fans will wake up Tuesday with a dose of reality.
The Spartans weren’t good enough to beat North Carolina.
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Fast.
Michigan State had twice as many turnovers (eight) as baskets (four) midway through the first half when it trailed 32-11.
“It was a blur,” guard Travis Walton said.
The Spartans missed wide-open shots, got outhustled for loose balls, seemed helpless on defense and were careless with the basketball.
They even struggled with uncontested attempts.
When Chris Allen missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Izzo slumped into a squat on the sideline and covered his face.
“I really thought we missed some shots, even the front ends of some 1-and-1s,” Izzo said.
For Izzo and about 50,000 fans at Ford Field, it was tough to watch the Spartans.
Each time they gave their green-clad supporters a rare chance to cheer in the second half, such as when the deficit was cut to 13, a Tar Heel, usually Ty Lawson or Tyler Hansbrough, would quiet the crowd with timely baskets or free throws.
The second-seeded Spartans reached the championship game with contributions from a lot of players, but just a few of them played well in the biggest game of their lives.
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Suton and Lucas earned spots on the all-Final Four team.
Lucas, though, had so much trouble quarterbacking his team on offense that he once threw a pass that landed square on Lawson’s back and led to North Carolina padding its considerable cushion with a Wayne Ellington dunk.
That was one of 21 turnovers that led to 25 points for North Carolina.
Super substitute Allen missed all eight of his attempts — only one inside the 3-point arc — and Raymar Morgan slipped back into a funk, making only one shot and grabbing only one rebound.
After the Spartans walked off the court with their head down, teammate Korie Lucious was pushed in a wheelchair because of a foot injury.
“We heard something pop in there,” Izzo said. “It’s probably nothing real good, but I don’t know.”
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