Feb. 19, 2012
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - Draymond Green had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Austin Thornton had a career-high 17 points to lead No. 7 Michigan State past short-handed Purdue 76-62 on Sunday.
By winning their second straight in West Lafayette and sweeping the Boilermakers this season, the Spartans (22-5, 11-3) took a one-game lead in the Big Ten title chase.
Purdue (17-10, 7-7) had a three-game winning streak snapped. Robbie Hummel finished with 24 points to lead the Boilermakers, who played without starting guard Kelsey Barlow and swingman D.J. Byrd. Both were disciplined after an incident Friday night outside a local bar.
"Distractions kill you," Izzo said. "The job he (Purdue coach Matt Painter) and his staff did to get his team ready to play under the circumstance was incredible. I say that not out of liking somebody, I say it out of experience. Been there and done that. I give Matt and his staff and Hummel, what a warrior, a lot of credit for what they did because they outplayed us for over half that game."
Hummel desperately tried to keep his team close after going 0 for 11 from the field and finishing with only two points in an 83-58 loss last month at East Lansing. The senior class was trying to pick up its 100th career win, and Purdue was looking for its first three-game winning streak since November.
The abysmal second-half shooting thwarted any chance.
"I thought we got a lot of good shots around the rim," Hummel said.
They just didn't fall.
Hummel rallied the Boilermakers after Michigan State went on an early 10-0 run and by halftime, Hummel had the Boilermakers in front 38-35 against a team that was allowing only 58.5 points per game.
But when Izzo went to the locker room, he challenged Green and his teammates to start playing Michigan State defense.
And the Boilers missed their scorers, opening the second half by going 1 of 23 from the field.
After trailing 38-35 at halftime, Michigan State reverted to its traditionally tough form.
Thornton got things started by making a midrange jumper. Derrick Nix then posted up for a layup, Keith Appling hit 1 of 2 free throws, Brandon Wood knocked down a 3-pointer and Thornton scored on a putback to give the Spartans a 45-38 lead with 14:35 left in the game.
Purdue, meanwhile, didn't score until Hummel made two free throws with 13:54 to go and didn't get its first basket until Ryne Smith made a 3-pointer 49 seconds later.
But that was Purdue's only basket until Anthony Johnson finally broke the ice with back-to-back 3s to make it 62-52, the second coming with 6:05 to play.
But the 27-8 spurt was too much for the Boilermakers.
Hummel, who went 0 for 11 with two points in the first meeting this season, made sure there was no chance of a repeat.
After missing his first two shots and seeing the Boilermakers fall into an early 12-7 hole, the fifth-year senior rallied his teammates. Hummel scored six straight points to tie the score at 27 with 4:45 to go in the first half and spurred Purdue's late 8-4 mini-run that made it 38-35 at halftime against a Michigan State team that was allowing just 58.5 points per game coming into Sunday.
Hummel scored 16 of his 24 points in the half.