Spartans’ epic rally stuns NU
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo had a simple request after his team staged one of the biggest rallies in NCAA history: Try not to make it a 28- point comeback next time.
Cassius Winston scored 17 points, and the second- ranked Spartans rallied from 27 down Saturday to beat Northwestern 65- 60 at Allstate Arena and extend their winning streak to 10 games.
Nick Ward added 15 points and 10 rebounds, Miles Bridges hit four free throws in the final minute and the Spartans ( 26- 3, 14- 2 Big Ten) used a huge second half to pull out the victory.
Michigan State was down 22 at the break after trailing by 27. Duke holds the record for the largest halftime deficit overcome in a victory, rallying from 29 down to beat Tulane on Dec. 30, 1950.
Northwestern’s Vic Law cooled off after a blistering start to finish with 21 points, and the Cats shot just 3- for- 26 in the second half.
“I’m just disappointed for the guys,” coach Wildcats Chris Collins said. “I thought our effort was worthy of winning. We did a lot of good things, and we just came up short.”
Northwestern ( 15- 13, 6- 9) gave itself a great chance at their first victory over a top- five team since 1979, even though star guard Bryant McIntosh sat out with a shoulder injury. The Wildcats led 49- 27 after a stunning first half that had fans chanting “Overrated!” But the Spartans turned it around.
“There can’t be a much better comeback,” Izzo said. “I told my team after, we’re setting some new records at Michigan State — best start, best this, best that. And this might be the greatest comeback. The other records, I appreciate. This one, I really don’t. I hope they don’t try to go 28 next game.”
Notre Dame 84, Boston Coll. 67
Matt Farrell scored 26 of his career- high 37 points in the first half and made a personal- best 10 three- pointers with seven assists to help power the Fighting Irish ( 16- 11, 6- 8 ACC) past the host Eagles ( 16- 11, 6- 8).
TJ Gibbs finished with 15 points and Martinas Geben 12 as Notre Dame won for the third time in four games.
Indiana 84, Iowa 82
Robert Johnson scored a careerhigh 29 points with nine threes, and the Hoosiers ( 16- 12, 9- 7 Big Ten) rallied from an early 13- point deficit and held off the host Hawkeyes ( 12- 17, 3- 13) to pick up their fourth straight victory.
Devonte Green had 18 points for Indiana, which blew a 13- point lead before Freddie McSwain Jr. hit the game- winning basket on a layup with 46 seconds left.
Maryland 61, Rutgers 51
Bruno Fernando had 18 points and a career- high 16 rebounds as the host Terrapins ( 18- 11, 7- 9 Big Ten) kept the Scarlet Knights ( 1316, 3- 13) winless on the road.
Villanova 95, Xavier 79
Mikal Bridges led an early threepoint shooting spurt, and the thirdranked Wildcats ( 24- 3, 11- 3 Big East) showed they’re not ready to relinquish their reign in the conference by drubbing the No. 4 Musketeers ( 24- 4, 12- 3) in Cincinnati.