Just two games after that MSU vs. Maryland game which I referred to as one of the worst games of basketball from a viewing perspective ever, we were treated to an absolute gem of a game. This one featured multiple runs, ties, lead changes, big shots, and even bigger defensive stops. This game was overflowing with emotion and that led to a number of players having big performances.
The game started well for MSU as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead with baskets on their first two possessions. A collection of offensive rebounds by the Illini early on gave Spartan fans some flashbacks of recent games and it looked like this was going to be another contest where the Green & White would get dominated on the boards.