Big Ten Roundup: Spartans Get Past Maryland on Malik Hall's Last-Second Layup

Michigan State moved into a tie for first in the Big Ten on Tuesday night, beating Maryland 65-63 on Malik Hall's layup with 1.9 seconds left. Northwestern and Michigan also won tight games. Here is our Big Ten roundup for Feb. 1, with summaries and the week's remaining schedule.

Michigan State beat Maryland 65-63 on Tuesday night to move into a tie for first place in the Big Ten, but it wasn't easy. The Spartans blew a 15-point second-half lead and were rescued when Malik Hall scored on a layup with 1.9 seconds to go.

The Spartans (17-4, 8-2 in the Big Ten) shot only 40.7 percent from the field and struggled to find easy baskets in the second half. Hall, who led the way with 16 points off the bench, scored the game-winner on a tough drive through traffic that bounced around the rim before falling in. Joey Hauser and Marcus Bingham Jr. had 10 points each.

"If you get a road win in this league, it's good,'' Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "This is the time of year now, at the halfway point, you hope to be getting better each game. I didn't think we had enough minutes of getting better today to feel good, but I feel really good about a win."

Maryland (11-11, 3-8 in the Big Ten) was led by guard Eric Ayala with 15 points. The Terrapins were just 4-for-17 from three (23.5 percent), the second straight home game where they struggled to shoot well from deep. They were just 6-for-27 from three (22.2 percent) in Saturday's 68-55 loss to Indiana in College Park.

Northwestern 79, Rutgers 78 (OT)

Northwestern blew a 24-point second-half lead to Rutgers, but hung on to win in overtime thanks to three-pointers by Chase Audige and Boo Buie in the 79-78 win in Evanston.

The Wildcats (10-10, 3-8 in the Big Ten) haven't had much luck in close games lately, posting just and 8-26 record in games decided by five points or less since 2018. So sneaking away with a win after blowing that big lead was critical. Buie had 18 points to lead Northwestern, and Audige had 15.

Rutgers (12-9, 6-5 in the Big Ten) trailed by 18 at the break, and was down by 24 three minutes into the second half. They didn't get to within single digits until the 7:28 mark when Paul Mulcahy, who had a career-high 31 points, scored on a jumper. Northwestern scored only four points in the final 5 minutes and Rutgers tied the game on a Clifford Omoruyi dunk with a second left in regulation, assisted by Mulcahy.

Michigan 85, Nebraska 79

Michigan center Hunter Dickinson got into foul trouble early, but he scored 20 second-half points to lead the Wolverines to an 85-79 win in Ann Arbor. 

Michigan (11-8, 5-4 in the Big Ten) trailed for much of the game, and made just 2-of-15 three-point attempts. Dickinson rescued them inside, finishing the game with 26 points. Eli Brooks had 20, and Devante Jones had 18.

Nebraska (6-16, 0-11 in the Big Ten) was led by freshman Bryce McGowans, who had 24 points. Nebraska got outrebounded 39-24. Michigan plays at Purdue on Saturday.

Here is the rest of this week's Big Ten schedule, plus results from the games so far this week:

Wednesday's games

• No. 4 Purdue at Minnesota, 7 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
• No. 11 Wisconsin at No. 18 Illinois, 9 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)

Thursday's game

• Iowa at No. 16 Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET (TV: FOX Sports 1)

Saturday's games

• No. 18 Illinois at Indiana, Noon ET (TV: ESPN
• Northwestern at Nebraska, 1 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)
• Michigan at No. 4 Purdue, 2:30 p.m. ET (TV: FOX)
• No. 13 Michigan State at Rutgers, 4 p.m. ET (TV: FOX Sports 1)
• Penn State at No. 11 Wisconsin, 6 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)

Sunday's games

• Maryland at No. 16 Ohio State, 1 p.m. (TV: CBS)
• Minnesota at Iowa, 4:30 p.m. ET (TV: Big Ten Network)

Tuesday's results

• No. 13 Michigan State 65, Maryland 63
• Northwestern 79, Rutgers 78
• Michigan 85, Nebraska 79 

Monday's result

• Penn State 90, Iowa 86, 2-OT
• Monday's Big Ten roundup, CLICK HERE

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• IVEY BACK IN STARTING LINEUP: Purdue sophomore guard Jaden Ivey missed a game and then came off the bench for two others as he worked his way back from a hip flexor injury, but coach Matt Painter said he would start on Wednesday night at Minnesota. CLICK HERE