Against Illinois the following game, guard Demetri McCamey scored a game-high 22 points and dished 11 assists as the Spartans were upset for the second straight game.

Then on Friday, with the Spartans taking an overtime lead and grabbing momentum, Minnesota guard Devoe Joseph put the Golden Gophers on his back.

Joseph scored eight of his 17 points in overtime, leading Minnesota to a 72-67 upset win against the Spartans.

“I just think I was just very composed, and I was just very excited to win the game,” Joseph said after the game. “I wasn’t trying to put it in my hands, I was just trying to get the shots.”

After Minnesota guard Al Nolen was ruled academically ineligible in late January, Joseph’s offensive role increased. Joseph scored just one point when the Gophers and Spartans met Jan. 13, but he scored 16 against MSU 10 days later in Minneapolis.

“Guys improve over the season. He wasn’t that good,” MSU sophomore forward Draymond Green said of Joseph. “I mean, he probably was, but it wasn’t showing. But now (in) this tournament, it’s showing, and you have to give them credit. I mean, he played like a warrior, and he rallied his troops, and they rallied behind him.”

MSU head coach Tom Izzo said the Spartans played better defense in the second half and could do nothing to stop Joseph, who scored all 17 of his points after halftime.

“You know, he hit a couple shots,” Izzo said. “He hits that one coming off falling away in front of their bench, and he hits the one from four, five feet outside the three there with the shot clock running down. They made some shots.”

Something to prove
Despite MSU having an NCAA Tournament bid wrapped up before Friday, Izzo didn’t think Minnesota’s desperation to earn a bid affected the Spartans — or at least he hoped it didn’t.

“I hope not, because I hope our program and our team is more competitive than that,” he said. “Every day you have something to prove, and we’re playing for a lot, too. We’re playing for a seed, we’re playing for a championship. We’re playing for all those fans that showed up tonight from a lot longer ways away (than us).”

Izzo did believe the desperation helped the Gophers, but the fact that MSU hasn’t won the Big Ten Tournament in 10 years and counting should have been enough motivation.

“We come from a place that one of the greatest competitors that ever lived (Earvin “Magic” Johnson) is from, and if we are (not taking this tournament seriously), shame on us,” Izzo said. “Is desperation always a big factor for a lot of teams? Sure.”

The other answer
With 3:52 to play in regulation, Green was fouled by Minnesota center Colton Iverson and both men fell to the ground. The two got into a little tussle on the ground before being separated.

“I don’t think we ever saw him play that great, but he played a great game,” Green said of Iverson. “He’s a competitor and you have to give him credit. He was relentless … down low and it took a while for us to find an answer.”