As if he didn't know it already, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo found out even more about the highs and lows of coaching a young team during the third-place game against Wichita State in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Friday.

A team that plays four freshmen and three sophomores in its regular playing rotation, No. 24 Michigan State played like a veteran bunch in building an 18-point lead with 11:52 remaining.

But then came the youthful mistakes that have been a big component of the Spartans so far this year, and Wichita State improbably ended up cutting its deficit all the way down to one point with 4:12 left.

In the end, though, Izzo and the Spartans could at least exhale at surviving the roller coaster with a win, as Michigan State left the tournament with a 2-1 record after holding off Wichita State for a 77-72 triumph.

"The most important thing is finding a way to get off the mat," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said, according to ESPN.com. "That is the most important lesson I can teach these guys whether it be life or basketball."

Freshman Miles Bridges led the Spartans with 21 points.

After Michigan State built a 58-40 lead with 11:52 left, Wichita State turned up its defensive pressure in both the full and half-court, which forced Michigan State into careless turnovers and allowed the Shockers some easy transition baskets.

The big surge came when Wichita State went on a 14-0 run to close within one point at 66-65 with 4:12 remaining before Michigan State freshman Cassius Winston ended the run with a 3-pointer to make it 69-65 Spartans.

Michigan State looked like it restored order on a 3-pointer by Bridges with 1:48 left that gave the Spartans a 74-67 lead, but Wichita State answered with five straight points to cut its margin to 74-72 with 1:07 left.

Following a free throw by Winston with 22.9 seconds remaining that gave the Spartans a 75-72 lead, Wichita State had one last chance to tie. But a deep 3-point attempt by junior guard Daishon Smith missed badly, and Bridges was fouled following a rebound with 4.6 seconds left.

Bridges sealed the game with two free throws to help the Spartans earn what surely will be an RPI-boosting win after three losses to ranked squads Arizona, Kentucky and Baylor to start the season.

"There's no question that this team has been through a lot," Izzo said on ESPN. "But that's what I challenged them with. I don't challenge them with effort, heart, I don't challenge them very often with character issues. But I did challenge their character a little bit."

Michigan State will play its fourth ranked opponent of the season on Tuesday when it travels to No. 6 Duke.

Senior guard Eron Harris, sophomore guard Matt McQuad and freshman forward Nick Ward each had 13 points and junior point guard Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn added 12 assists for the Spartans (4-3).

Junior forward Darral Willis Jr. scored 16 points, Smith added 13 and junior center Rauno Nurger chipped in 12 points for Wichita State (5-2), which went 1-2 for the tournament following a win over LSU and a loss to No. 10 Louisville.

Wichita State head coach Greg Marshall said the pressure defense that worked so well late against Michigan State could be something that he might use more often as the season progresses.

"I'll just have to evaluate us and evaluate my coaching and evaluate our personnel and try to figure out a way to play more like the team in the second half than the team in the first half," Marshall said on ESPN.com.

The Shockers shot just 35.5 percent (22 of 62) from the field, while Michigan State shot 50 percent (26 of 52), including 11 of 25 from 3-point range.