Michigan State hosted Minnesota on Thursday night in a huge late-season conference game for the Spartans, one they could not afford to drop two weeks before Selection Sunday. Expected to be a relatively low-scoring affair, and potentially one-sided, it turned into a gem.
That gem included Tom Izzo’s sophomore forward Gavin Schilling committing one of basketball’s most serious sins. After storming back in the final minute, the Gophers had an opportunity to tie the game in the closing seconds. That’s when Schilling proceeded to do this when attempting to get a hand into the face of Minnesota guard Carlos Morris. And yes, Gus Johnson’s enthusiasm lives on:
Morris would miss the free throw and the game reached overtime but it was still an absolute nightmare scenario for Michigan State. Minnesota would prevail in OT and the Spartans were stunned.