No. 12 Kansas 61, No. 19 Michigan State 56: Perry Ellis posted 17 points and nine rebounds to lead the Jayhawks past the Spartans in the Orlando Classic championship game.
Frank Mason III contributed 10 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and five assists to spark Kansas (5-1), which claimed its sixth regular-season tournament title in 12 seasons under coach Bill Self. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk hit all three of the Jayhawks’ 3-pointers en route to 11 points while fellow freshman Cliff Alexander pulled down eight boards and added four blocks.
Denzel Valentine scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half for Michigan State (5-2), which was could not overcome a 24.2 percent shooting effort over the final 20 minutes. Travis Trice had 14 points while Branden Dawson tallied eight points on 4-of-15 shooting and collected nine rebounds in his most extensive action since missing a game with the flu earlier in the week.
Valentine knocked down each of his first three 3-point attempts as Michigan State built a seven-point edge midway through the first half, but a triple from Mykhailiuk during an 8-0 spurt put Kansas in front. The Spartans led by three following a jumper from Dawson in the opening minute of the second half before missing their next nine shots and the Jayhawks scored 10 straight points during the six-minute scoring drought to pull ahead 45-38 with just under 14 minutes to go.
Despite getting only two jumpers from Matt Costello during another six-plus minute cold spell, Michigan State pulled within 59-56 with 1 ½ minutes left on a fast-break 3-pointer by Trice. Dawson missed a jumper and a putback attempt with less than minute remaining following a Kansas turnover and the Spartans could not get off another shot until Trice missed a 3-pointer with five seconds left.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Ellis was named tournament MVP after finishing the three-game, four-day event with 58 points and 27 rebounds. … The Spartans finished 6-of-17 beyond the arc after hitting 12 3-pointers in each of their previous three contests, going a combined 36-for-78. …Kansas ended its three-game losing streak against Michigan State.
Michigan St | Kansas | |
Travis Trice 14 | Scoring | Perry Ellis 17 |
Travis Trice 2 | Assists | Frank Mason 5 |
Branden Dawson 9 | Rebounds | Frank Mason 10 |
Travis Trice 6 | Free Throws Made | Wayne Selden Jr 5 |
Branden Dawson 2 | Steals | Frank Mason 1 |
Gavin Schilling 2 | Blocks | Cliff Alexander 4 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Michigan St | 56 | 32.2 | 6-17 | 12-17 | 5 | 35 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
Kansas | 61 | 37.0 | 3-14 | 18-27 | 8 | 43 | 5 | 3 | 12 |