Butch, Landry lead Wisconsin over Michigan State, 65-63, and into Big 10 tournament title game

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By NANCY ARMOUR / AP National Writer
Saturday, March 15, 2008 3:43 PM CDT

INDIANAPOLIS -- Wisconsin won't cry foul over this win.

Brian Butch scored 19, Marcus Landry added 18 and Joe Krabbenhoft had a double-double Saturday, and No. 8 Wisconsin held off a foul-challenged Michigan State 65-63 to earn a spot in the Big Ten title game. It's the second straight year the Badgers (28-4) will play for the Big Ten tournament title, and the fourth time in five years.

Wisconsin will play either Illinois or Minnesota, both of which need to win the title to get an NCAA bid.

Drew Neitzel led all scorers with 26, his second big day in a row. But it wasn't nearly enough to bail out the No. 19 Spartans (25-8) , who were whistled for 30 fouls and had four players foul out, including three in a 56-second span. The fouls were one shy of the Big Ten tournament record, and more than double what the Spartans had in their lone game against Wisconsin this year.

Michigan State was in foul trouble from the start, averaging a foul a minute at one point in the first half. But even with coach Tom Izzo forced to cobble together lineups, Neitzel managed to not only keep the Spartans in the game but in control of it.

Freshman Kalin Lucas gave Michigan State a 63-61 lead with two minutes to play. But Landry made a pair of free throws that tied the game with 1:41 to play. Michigan tried to get the ball in Neitzel's hands after a timeout. But Michael Flowers, a member of the Big Ten's all-defensive team, read freshman point guard Lucas perfectly, stepping in and grabbing the ball on its way to Neitzel.

He took it in for an easy layup, giving Wisconsin the 65-63 lead with 27 seconds left.

The Spartans were hoping to get the ball to Neitzel again, but the stingy Wisconsin defense gave them no shot. Lucas finally put up a layup, but it rattled off the rim and Butch grabbed the rebound. Jason Bohannon missed both free throws, giving Michigan State one last chance. But Neitzel's 3-pointer at the buzzer wasn't even close.

Wisconsin won despite going only 26-of-37 from the free throw line. Since Bo Ryan came to Wisconsin, the Badgers are 10-3 against Michigan State, including two wins this year.