Ed Condron

Indianapolis, IN

Brandon Wood scored a season-high 21 points to lead Michigan State to a 68-64 victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament title game.

It was the first Big Ten tournament title in more than a decade for the Spartans, who will enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the West Region and open with a game against No. 16 LIU.

That could have been where the Buckeyes went as the Big Ten title game was viewed as a playoff for a No. 1 seed.

Instead Michigan State joins Kentucky, Syracuse and North Carolina as one seeds thanks to Wood and Draymond Green, who scored 12 points, including a huge 3-pointer with 1:35 to play that gave Michigan State a five-point lead.

Michigan State (27-7) won its first conference tournament since winning back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000.

Jared Sullinger had 18 points and nine rebounds for Ohio State (27-7), which won the previous two conference tournament titles.

Deshaun Thomas and William Buford each finished with 11 points, and Aaron Craft and Lenzelle Smith Jr. added 10 for the Buckeyes, who split the season series with Michigan State and won the most recent meeting, 72-70 on March 4.

 

Michigan State Holds Off Ohio State for Big Ten Crown