INDIANAPOLIS — It was a similar script with an ending that didn’t change, even if this one tested the nerve of anyone in green and white.
For the third time this season — and the for the second straight game — Michigan State got off to a good start, built a big lead on Maryland then held on late in the second half as the Terrapins came storming back over the final 10 minutes of the game, only to come up short.
This time it came Thursday at the Big Ten tournament as No. 7 seed Michigan State earned the 76-72 victory over 10th-seeded Maryland at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to advance to Friday’s quarterfinals where the Spartans will face No. 2 Wisconsin at 6:30 p.m.
Just as Michigan State (21-11) did in Sunday’s regular-season finale, it built a 20-point second-half lead on Thursday only to watch as Maryland slowly chipped away. And over the final five minutes of the game, it was Maryland that did everything it could — nailing 3-pointers and forcing turnover after turnover — getting as close as two points in the final seconds, even getting off a potential go-ahead 3-pointer.
But a late Tyson Walker jumper and two big rebounds followed by four straight free throws from Max Christie sealed the win for Michigan State.
Christie scored 16 to lead the Spartans while Gabe Brown added 13 points.
Fatts Russell scored 20 for Maryland (15-17) with Eric Ayala adding 17 points, Donta Scott getting 15 and Hakim Hart chipping in 11 for the Terrapins.
It was another quick start for Michigan State, much like it had in the previous two meetings against the Terrapins. On Thursday, it was Brown that got going early with five points before Joey Hauser hit a three and a Malik Hall layup gave the Spartans a 15-7 lead just five minutes into the game.
But Maryland responded, determined not to dig a big hole like it did Sunday at the Breslin Center.
Back-to-back triples from Russell and Ayala helped spark a 10-3 run as the Terrapins pulled within one at 18-17. The Spartans punched right back with Walker nailing a triple before two straight jump hooks from Julius Marble pushed Michigan State’s lead back to 25-17.
That’s when Christie started heating up, hitting three from long distance over the next seven minutes as Michigan State’s lead grew to 10 at one point. Maryland chipped way at that gap, as well, pulling within 38-34 before the Spartans closed the half with Marcus Bingham jumper and a 3-pointer from Jaden Akins to take a 43-34 lead into the halftime locker room.
The Spartans were 7 for 11 from 3-point range for the half with Christie hitting all three of his attempts.
Michigan State kept punching early in the second half as Bingham put back his own miss then scored on a jump hook before a three-point play in transition from Brown put the Spartans up, 50-37, with 16:18 to play.
The Spartans kept pouring it on that point as Marble had a pair of free throws, Hall hit a runner at the end of the shot clock and Brown nailed a deep 3-pointer to extend the lead to 57-37 with 13:02 left in the game.
Much like the first two meetings, however, the Spartans could not put the Terrapins away. Maryland quickly put together a 12-2 surge to pull within 59-49 with 9:06 to play on Scott’s second 3-pointer of the half. But Hall got a jump-hook in the lane before A.J. Hoggard scored on a driving layup and Christie hit a long jumper to give Michigan State a 65-51 lead with 6:59 left in the game.
Maryland scored the next five points to get within nine before an Akins 3-pointer pushed the lead back to 12. The Terrapins then scored six in a row to cut the deficit to 68-62 with 1:48 to play as Michigan State turned it over on two straight possessions.
Two Walker free throws were next but Michigan State turned it over again and Russell converted a three-point play with 1:06 left to cut the MSU lead to two. But a Walker jumper and two free throws from Christie put MSU up by six. The Terps, though, got two steals and four quick points before Russell got off a 3-pointer that would have given Maryland the lead.
Instead, Christie grabbed the rebound and put the game away at the free-throw line.
