Post-Game Notes

March 8, 2009

Recap | Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

• Michigan State closes out the regular season with a 25-5 record and a 15-3 mark in the Big Ten. The 15 league wins ties a school record. The 1999 (15-1), 1990 (15-3) and 1978 (15-3) squads all tallied 15 wins. The 25 wins tie the 1978 team for eighth most in school history.

• Michigan State (15-3) finished four games ahead of second-place Illinois (11-7) and Purdue (11-7) in the Big Ten standings, becoming the first conference team to win the Big Ten by four games since 1985.

• The Spartans held Purdue to 28.3 percent (17-for-60) shooting from the field, the Boilermakers' worst shooting performance of the season (previous low 32 percent vs. Illinois on Feb. 8) and a low for a Spartan opponent this season (previous low 28.8 percent by Minnesota on Feb. 4). Purdue only shot 18.8 percent (6-for-32) in the second half.

• MSU outrebounded Purdue, 50-32, tying for the fourth-highest rebounding margin of the season for the Spartans (+27 vs. Alcorn State on Dec. 13; +22 vs. Minnesota on Dec. 31; +19 vs. Northwestern on Jan. 13; +18 vs. Wichita State on Nov. 30). The 50 rebounds are the most by a Purdue opponent this season. MSU, which leads the Big Ten in rebounding, has now out-rebounded its opponent in 20 straight games.

• Kalin Lucas led all scorers with 21 points; it marks the eighth time this season he has scored at least 20 points (seven in Big Ten games).

• Goran Suton recorded his 18th career double-double and his fifth of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds...MSU is 14-4 when Suton collects a double-double and 4-1 this season.

• Michigan State honored its four seniors in a post-game ceremony and also raised the 2009 Big Ten Championship banner. The senior class of Idong Ibok, Marquise Gray, Goran Suton and Travis Walton closed their careers with a 59-5 record at the Breslin Center.

• MSU won its ninth straight over Purdue at the Breslin Center. Coach Tom Izzo improves to 15-10 all-time vs. Purdue in his career.

• MSU held a 12-4 advantage in fast-break points.