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Ref's Accidental Soccer Pass to Wisconsin Player Led to Incredible Michigan State Hustle Play

One play for Jaden Akins's highlight reel.

Tom Dierberger

Michigan State guard Jaden Akins reacts to a personal foul against Wisconsin during the second half of Big Ten tournament semifinal at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Michigan State guard Jaden Akins reacts to a personal foul against Wisconsin during the second half of Big Ten tournament semifinal at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Wisconsin Badgers finished off a thrilling 77–74 win over the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday afternoon in the Big Ten tournament semifinals, a game that featured plenty of exciting highlights.

One of those memorable plays occurred late in the first half when an errant pass led to a chaotic sequence.

With 10 seconds left on the shot clock, Michigan State center Carson Cooper attempted to pass the basketball to teammate Tre Holloman. But the junior guard wasn't ready for the pass, and the ball ricocheted off the foot of a nearby referee and back onto the court, still inbounds.

While most players stood and watched, thinking the ball had gone out of bounds, Wisconsin guard John Blackwell scooped it up in hopes of an easy fast-break layup on the other end. Michigan State senior Jaden Akins, however, had other ideas.

In one of the best hustle plays of the year, Akins sprinted down the floor to deny Blackwell at the rim.

Whew. Quite the sequence.

CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore suggested on the broadcast it should have been goaltending, but since no call was made it could not be reviewed. The box score would remain a block for Akins.

Akins and the Spartans' conference tournament run ended Saturday in the semifinals, but Michigan State has bigger fish to fry. Ranked No. 7 in the latest AP top-25 poll, the Spartans should be in line to receive a favorable seeding in the NCAA tournament on Selection Sunday.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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