Michigan State 74, Purdue 80: Purdue Wins It's 26th Big Ten Championship

It wasn't pretty, and it's not outright, yet, but the Purdue Boilermakers pick up the win against Michigan State, 80-74, and it will at least share for the Big Ten Title for the 26th time in school history.

Purdue's original big three led the way from the jump with Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Zach Edey combining for 70 out of Purdue's 80.

Smith had 23 points and 9 rebounds while Zach Edey had another double-double with 32 points and 11 rebounds. Loyer had 15 points and knocked down four threes.

Michigan State looked game early, jumping out to a 15-9 lead on a Tyson Walker mid-range jumper.

Walker would get help from true freshman Xavier Booker, who came into the game and hit back to back three-pointers that extended Michigan State's lead to 21-16.

But Purdue would finish the first half with a charge when Fletcher Loyer started to get it going after a cold-shooting February. Zach Edey found Loyer on two three-pointers, then Loyer hit his third of the half to give Purdue a 27-26 late in the half.

Purdue finished the first half by feeding Zach Edey who got the better of Xavier Booker inside for multiple looks. Then Braden Smith added his third three of the game to give Purdue a 38-30 with just over a minute to play in the first half.

Tyson Walker continued his last-second heroics against Purdue, finishing at the rim, and then knocking down a three as the half expired to go into the half 38-35, Purdue lead.

Purdue surged to start the second half with Smith finding Loyer for his fourth three pointer, and Zach Edey crashing the offensive glass. When Mason Gillis saved a ball over his head, it found Edey who was able to drop it in and Purdue had a 54-39 lead five minutes into the half.

Michigan State would fight back, including an 8-0 run as both teams started to pick up fouls. Tyson Walker and Lance Jones would both collect technicals as both teams were in the bonus with more than ten minutes to play in the half.

After early fouls on Michigan State, Purdue started to put the Spartans to the line, and an And-1 and then three-pointer by AJ Hoggard had the game Purdue 58, Michigan State 55.

Purdue's Braden Smith would respond again with his fourth three-pointer of the game to give Purdue the two-possession lead. Loyer would extend it with free throws, but Purdue could not quite put away the Spartans.

Smith's lay up gave Purdue a 69-60 lead with less than five to play, but Tyson Walker would hit a pull up and freshman Xavier Booker would dunk in an And-1 and make the free throw to get the game back to five.

But Zach Edey found Mason Gillis late int he shot clock for three and the Boilers would pull away, just barely, 77-69 with less than a minute to play. Lance Jones would strip AJ Hoggard at the other end and go to the line with 39.1 seconds left in the game.

At some point, it seemed likely that five star freshman Xavier Booker would get on the floor at the same time as National Player of the Year, Zach Edey, and the two diverging styles would clash. Shockingly, it was Booker that bested Edey early. Booker made a quick difference for Tom Izzo and his Spartans, knocking down back to back three-pointers in his first two possessions with Zach Edey guarding him.

Edey, at 7-4, didn't get a good contest on either look and it was clear that the freshman was given the green light to try and take advantage of Edey's unwillingness to travel to the three-point line.

But Edey would get his back in Booker's second stint against Edey. Edey scored three baskets inside against Booker, each one as hopeless as the next for the star freshman who has played sparingly this season for Izzo. Edeys' size and positioning was too much for bookers and Edey got to lay ins and dunks in quick succession against the freshman, forcing Izzo to pull Booker in favor of the more stout Carson Cooper.

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