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Izzo to lose hair after Spartans win Big Ten title
By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer
Mar 4, 2009 - 3:24:48 PM

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tom Izzo is ready to pay the price for winning the Big Ten title.

With his hair.

Michigan State forward Raymar Morgan (2) reacts next to center Goran Suton, left, following a dunk late in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Bloomington, Ind., Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Michigan State won 64-59. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)


After the No. 8 Spartans held off Indiana 64-59 on Tuesday, clinching their first outright conference crown in a decade, Izzo said he would fulfill the promise he made to students last fall by shaving his head — after the NCAA tournament.

"I lie to my other people, but I don't lie to my students, which will be embarrassing," the Spartans coach said. "I'm not going to embarrass my team in the NCAA tournament. I'm going to wait till it's all over and embarrass my wife then."

His players, of course, are ready to pull out the razor now.

But Izzo thinks the Spartans (24-5, 14-3) have plenty of work ahead to get ready for next week's Big Ten tournament and the NCAAs the week after that.

He was disappointed with his team's inability to put away a short-handed Hoosiers team that has now lost eight straight and played most of the game without leading scorer Devan Dumes, who appeared to injure his right knee less than four minutes in and did not return.

Kalin Lucas scored 15 points and Raymar Morgan had 14 points and seven rebounds, including a thunderous dunk off a rebound with 27.5 seconds to preserve the victory. The two also combined to make three free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal it.

"We struggled, we just didn't have the energy tonight and maybe I should understand that but I don't," Izzo said. "They had a lot to do with it. They just played hard and they hurt us."

Indiana (6-23, 1-16) was led by Verdell Jones with 15 points. Nick Williams and Malik Story each had 11, and the three combined to lead the Hoosiers back from a 13-point deficit with 9:10 to go. Indiana was within 59-57 with 3:31 left but failed to convert on four opportunities to tie the score or take the lead.

Instead, they finished their home season with the fewest wins (5) since 1969-70 and tied the school record for worst home winning percentage (.333), set by the 1943-44 team that went 3-6.

No. 7 Duke 84, No. 24 Florida State 81

At Durham, N.C., Gerald Henderson scored nine of his 21 points in the final 2 minutes and had 10 rebounds to lead Duke.

Kyle Singler scored 20 points and Jon Scheyer added 17 for the Blue Devils (25-5, 11-4 ACC), who won their fifth straight to match the NCAA record for most wins in a decade with 286. Duke stands a half-game behind No. 2 North Carolina in the league standings.

Toney Douglas scored 27 points for the Seminoles (22-8, 9-6).

No. 10 Wake Forest 65, Maryland 63

At College Park, Md., Al-Farouq Aminu had 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds and Jeff Teague scored 17 for Wake Forest.

The Demon Deacons (23-5, 10-5 ACC) outrebounded the Terps 50-32 and had 10 blocks.

Teague went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final 35 seconds to help Wake hang on.

Dave Neal scored a career-high 19 points for the Terps (18-11, 7-8).

No. 14 Gonzaga 90, South Carolina-Upstate 40

At Spokane, Wash., Matt Bouldin scored 16 points to lead Gonzaga in a non-conference regular season finale.

Andrew Sorenson added 15 points for Gonzaga (24-5, 14-0 WCC), which is 16-1 since New Year's Day, losing only to No. 5 Memphis.

Bobby Davis had 20 points and 10 rebounds to lead South Carolina-Upstate (9-21).

No. 16 Washington 87, Seattle 60

At Seattle, Jon Brockman had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead Washington to an easy win over its old city rival.

Isaiah Thomas added 12 points and Justin Dentmon had 11 for Washington (23-7), which turned this recently scheduled makeup game into a glorified practice before it hosts Washington State on Saturday with the Pac-10 title on the line.

A win against the Cougars — or a loss by UCLA on Thursday at home to Oregon State — would give Washington its first outright conference title since 1953.

Aaron Broussard scored 13 for Seattle (19-8), which hadn't played the Huskies since 1980.

No. 18 Clemson 75, Virginia 57

At Clemson, S.C., Terrence Oglesby scored 18 points and No. 18 Clemson used its inside power to snap a two-game skid.

The Tigers (23-6, 9-6 ACC) are guaranteed back-to-back winning seasons in the league for just the second time in school history.

Calvin Baker had 18 points to lead the Cavaliers (9-17, 3-12), who lost their fourth straight.

No. 25 Syracuse 70, Rutgers 40

At Syracuse, N.Y., Andy Rautins hit three 3-pointers in a 3-minute span to help break open a one-point game midway through the second half to lead Syracuse.

Paul Harris had 18 points and Rautins finished with 11 for the Orange (22-8, 10-7 Big East), who won their fourth in five games to clinch a first-round bye in the Big East tournament.

Mike Rosario scored 16 points for the Scarlet Knights (10-20, 1-16), who lost their eighth straight.


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