For the second straight day, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo thanked some late-game heroes who helped the Spartans overcome their own misgivings.
Julius Marble II and A.J. Hoggard delivered critical plays when MSU needed another late rally Thursday, this time against No. 21 Connecticut. And the Spartans managed to ride the waves again to move into Friday’s Battle 4 Atlantis championship game.
Marble scored eight straight points in the final 3:07 after MSU fell behind by seven points, with Hoggard setting him up twice and himself getting to the free-throw line to give the Spartans the lead for good with 30.