EAST LANSING — When Michigan Statebasketball fell to 0-3 in Big Ten play on Dec. 28, Tom Izzo remained calm.
“It's not Panicsville,” he said after a blowout loss at Minnesota.
Friday night’s collapse against Purdue has brought the Spartans to at least the outskirts of "Panicsville," though. Blowing a 17-point cushion at home in the second half — and a four-point lead in the final 19.1 seconds — will do that.
“Especially losing like that,” senior guard Joshua Langford said, “it's tough.”
Unlike the thumping by the Gophers, MSU’s 55-54 loss to the Boilermakers is the type of soul-crushing defeat that, if not left behind quickly, can linger in a team' psyche.