(REUTERS) – Alan Anderson didn’t have to return to Minneapolis to show his hometown fans how far his game has come.
The Michigan State sophomore played point guard on offense and forward on defense and was the dominant player in Michigan State’s 71-61 win over Minnesota Wednesday in a foul-filled Big Ten basketball game.
Without his game high 18 points, six rebounds and four assists with one turnover, the sixth-place Spartans (15-11, 7-6 Big Ten) might be squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble after facing the fifth-place Golden Gophers (16-8, 8-5).
“I think the people back home saw a little of the real Alan Anderson,” said Anderson, who had struggled with foul problems in losses at Minnesota the last two years.
“This was the first time in a long time we’ve come out and been aggressive. I know our offense isn’t the best in the country. But I really thought we had more than seven turnovers as a team. And I know, despite all that, we won with defense.”
Guard Kelvin Torbert added 17 points and four steals for Michigan State, which made 31 of 40 free throws and held the Gophers to .339 accuracy from the field in a matchup with 55 fouls and 69 free throws attempted.
“Well, we made it difficult,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said after an 18-point lead had dwindled to four in the final 45 seconds. “But it was a good win and a step in the right direction for us. I thought there were times when we played awfully well.”
Izzo didn’t think Anderson had played that well until he glanced at the stats, but against trapping full-court pressure, Anderson’s scoring with 5-for-7 shooting from the field and his ball handling were essential to Michigan State’s success.
Also essential was the defense that held Minnesota’s frontcourt starters Rick Rickert, Michael Bauer and Jerry Holman to nine baskets and 23 points. The Gophers’ only consistent scorer was guard Maurice Hargrow with 17 points.
“I think the credit for how that game went belongs to Michigan State’s defense,” Minnesota coach Dan Monson said. “I don’t really fault how hard our kids played, our effort level and what we wanted to do. But we’re leading the Big Ten in scoring, and to say we had an off night shooting is too simplistic.
“They got into us, especially in the post, and frustrated us. We just never got into an offensive rhythm.”
Both teams had 19 baskets, but the Gophers were 19-for-29 at the line, including three straight misses on the front ends of one-and-one situations during their second-half surge.
Michigan State led by 15 late in the first half. But Minnesota’s closing surge cut the margin to 33-25, as the teams combined for 20 free throws and just 18 baskets.
After the Spartans built an 18-point cushion with a 16-3 run early in the second half, the Gophers nibbled away and nearly made it a one-possession game. But Michigan State ended with six straight free throws, including four by Anderson.
