The last we saw of Michigan State, it was self-destructing at the United Center.
Mateen Cleaves went 2 of 18 against Minnesota in Michigan State’s Big Ten tournament opener, and just like that, the Spartans went home.
So here they were in the first round of the NCAA East Regional on Thursday. Would they be the team that was the co-champion of the regular season or the team that lost its last two games?
The answer came when Cleaves, the Big Ten’s most valuable player, nailed his first shot, a three-pointer midway through the first half. It let Michigan State know that he had recovered sufficiently, and it let Eastern Michigan know that this might not be its night. The Spartans’ 83-71 victory puts them in the second round against Princeton on Saturday.
Getting there is a big relief for Michigan State, the No. 4 seed.
“It was tournament time,” guard Charlie Bell said after leading the Spartans with 22 points. “Minnesota taught us a lesson. One loss and you’re out, and you’re going back home. Tonight it didn’t look like we were ready to go home yet.”
The Spartans (21-7) shut down Earl Boykins, the Eagles’ 5-foot-5-inch star. He shot 6 of 21 from the field. Derrick Dial led Eastern Michigan with 29 points.
“Those two guards are as good as it gets,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. “(But) I’m starting to like my guards too.”
That would be Bell and Cleaves, who shot 7 of 14 from the field and finished with 20 points. They were a big part of the reason Eastern Michigan, the No. 13 seed, shot 2 of 19 from three-point range.
“It wasn’t just me (stopping Boykins),” Cleaves said. “It was a team effort.”
It took the Spartans awhile to find their footing. A Dial layup gave Eastern Michigan an 18-12 lead midway through the first half. But Cleaves’ three-pointer seemed to energize Michigan State.
He picked up his third foul with 2:41 left in the half, and yet the Spartans still were able to keep their distance from the Eagles, building a 43-35 lead by halftime. Eastern Michigan’s bench was given a technical for unsportsmanlike conduct just after the buzzer sounded, and Bell hit one of two free throws to raise the lead to nine at the beginning of the second half.
Cleaves hit a jumper with 8:59 left to make it 64-51, and the Spartans were never threatened again.
The game was delayed briefly with 3:15 left when the lights went out at the Hartford Civic Center. But even that didn’t help Eastern Michigan. The auxiliary lights came on, and the game went on.
