CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Hope on the ropes, everything Michigan State basketball did right early became corrupted.
Until Xavier Tillman performed a 10-foot-high exorcism in midair.
Only 17 seconds remained between a blown 20-point lead and a crushing defeat that would all but end any chance at a Big Ten regular-season title. Trailing by one, the ball got into Cassius Winston’s hands. Illinois’ Trent Frazier hounded him. Winston attacked.
Kofi Cockburn saw him. So did Alan Griffin. And Andres Feliz. A flash of orange raced at the reigning Big Ten player of the year, four players looking to become heroes.