Neitzel's tourney offensive output best in MSU history

Indianapolis — At the end of it all — a heartbreaking 65-63 semifinal loss in Indianapolis for an early tournament exit and finished Big Ten career — Drew Neitzel untucked his jersey and slowly trudged off the floor into the tunnel.

Junior forward Goran Suton threw his arm around his teammate as if to say, “You did everything you could.”

After all, Neitzel turned in the two best performances of any Spartan in conference tournament history — 28 points against Ohio State on Friday and 26 against Wisconsin on Saturday — after an erratic regular season.

“I guess all the crap that Neitzel’s been through was all worth it because you look at the two games and he kind of showed the kind of warrior he is,” an emotional MSU head coach Tom Izzo said after the game.

It also was the first time an MSU player posted back-to-back 20-plus point totals in the Big Ten Tournament and the 26 against Wisconsin was the highest total against the Badgers this season, as Neitzel went up against Big Ten defensive first-team selection Michael Flowers. In the two losses to Wisconsin and Ohio State previously in the season, Neitzel combined for nine total points. He surpassed that total by halftime Friday, saying it was the best he’s felt all season.

Izzo has said from the get-go that his senior captain must play well for MSU to succeed. Both player and coach hope Neitzel’s hot hand carries over into NCAA Tournament play.

“We’ve got to use some of the momentum from this tournament,” Neitzel said. “We played pretty well in two games. It’s do or die now — it’s our last chance, especially for myself. I’ve got to leave it all out on the court.”

No consolation

After the game, Izzo struggled to hold back tears at the podium. He was tight-lipped on issues, such as his team’s foul trouble, that fired him up during the game. But when asked about a “silver lining” in the loss, Izzo began shaking his head before the question was completed.

“Zero,” he said. “I’m sorry, but not at all. I had some guys that left it all on the floor. There’s never been a silver lining and losing and the way that game went, there’ll never be a silver lining.”

Supporting role

With virtually all of MSU’s front court fouled out down the stretch, the burden rested on the shoulders of the smallest men on the floor. Neitzel did his part, and Izzo called junior guard Travis Walton’s play “as good as anybody’s,” which leaves freshman guard Kalin Lucas.

Lucas finished with 18 points, with 14 coming in the second half, capitalizing on defensive mismatches for short floaters in the lane.

“On that pull-up jumper, we were right on him,” Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said. “He shot right over the top of guys, and those are tough shots. You could tell he wanted the ball and you could tell he was thinking, ‘Boy, I could score here.’ Players like that are tough to stop.”

Unfortunately for Lucas, the blemish of his performance came at the most crucial of times. Down two points with 12 seconds remaining, he drove and heaved a desperation runner in the lane that, for once, didn’t come close to falling.

“Lucas did a hell of a job today,” Izzo said. “He made some big-time plays and some big-time shots and that last one didn’t quite go his way, and I think the greatest thing about today is I saw how much it meant to him in that locker room.”