Indiana Beats MSU, Breaks 1st-Place Tie

Hoosiers had lost 17 straight at Breslin Center

Victor Oladipo's go-ahead putback, dunk and free throws in the final minute lifted top-ranked Indiana to a 72-68 win over No. 4 Michigan State on Tuesday night.

Indiana (24-3, 12-2 Big Ten) broke a first-place tie in the conference and moved a step closer toward earning top seeding next month in the NCAA tournament. The Hoosiers had lost 17 straight — since 1991 — on the road against the Spartans.

Michigan State blew opportunities at the line.

Trailing by three with 3.7 seconds left, Gary Harris was fouled on a 3-point attempt. He missed the first one and then after making the second, missed the third on purpose. Indiana got the rebound — Oladipo got to it, of course — and he hit two free throws to seal the win.

Michigan State (22-5, 11-3) had won five straight and 11 of 12 with its only loss during the stretch at Indiana.

The game marked the first time two top-five teams have met at the Breslin Center.

It was the third matchup of top-four teams in college basketball this season, and the second for Indiana, which beat then top-ranked Michigan It's just the fourth with a pair of Big Ten teams since 1997.

The highly anticipated and hyped game lived up to the billing with end-to-end action, scrambles for loose balls, 3-point shots, blocks in the lane and plenty of physical play.

WoodTV