Ohio State upsets Michigan State

Jamar Butler had 20 points in his home finale in the Buckeyes’ 63-54 win.

COLUMBUS — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo says that’s not a bubble Ohio State is sitting on — it’s a rock.

Senior Jamar Butler said good-bye to the home crowd with 20 points and Ohio State beat No. 17 Michigan State 63-54 Sunday, closing out the game with a 15-2 run to enhance its prospects of landing an NCAA tournament berth.

“Do I think Ohio State is deserving of being in the tournament? Hands down,” a disappointed Izzo said. “The problem is our league gets so maligned by people — and for what reason I don’t know. But, yeah, I think Ohio State deserves to be in. They beat two ranked teams down the stretch and they played one of the tougher schedules early.”

Othello Hunter added 13 points, including a pivotal one-handed jam of a rebound in the closing minutes, David Lighty scored 12 and Kosta Koufos 11 for the Buckeyes (19-12, 10-8), who most experts think are touch and go to get into the tournament.

“They’ve done what they had to do,” coach Thad Matta said of his players. “You knock off two top teams, these guys are playing very good basketball right now. You hope people remember kind of where we started and now how we’re finishing.”

Ohio State’s NCAA hopes were considered dead after it lost four in a row before beating No. 15 Purdue 80-77 in overtime last Tuesday.

Raymar Morgan had 19 points for Michigan State (24-7, 12-6), which was frazzled by Ohio State’s defense down the stretch, missing its last six shots from the field with three turnovers. The Spartans’ problems began when Morgan picked up three fouls in the first 3:15 of the second half.

“Morgan played an incredible game. We just couldn’t keep him on the floor long enough,” said Izzo, who referred two or three times in his postgame remarks to the officiating. “Chris Allen played very well. After that, you’re going to have to go far to find a pulse.”

Despite making runs all day, the Buckeyes didn’t break through until a hand-check foul put Butler, one of the nation’s top free-throw shooters, at the line with 4:41 left. He hit both shots — the Spartans were deep into the double-bonus by then — to put Ohio State ahead 53-52 for its first lead of the game.

Down the stretch the Spartans were patient, maybe too patient. Drew Neitzel threw up an off-balance 15-foot fadeaway that missed the rim and resulted in a shot-clock violation.

Ohio State then made it 55-52 when Butler fired a pinpoint pass that Hunter caught for a dunk with 3:35 left.

After Kalin Lucas hit a pair of foul shots for the Spartans, Koufos made a 10-foot half-hook from the baseline and then tried to muscle a shot over Goran Suton.