Walton steers MSU past Trojans

Walton steers MSU past Trojans

March 22, 2009
By DREW SHARP FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s a race against time that the senior inevitably loses. A college career’s end lurks ever so close, but Travis Walton wasn’t ready to say good-bye just yet.

“They’re going to have to send me out of this tournament kicking and screaming,” said Walton as Michigan State toasted another Sweet 16 invitation Sunday. “I think you saw a team that stepped up and made a commitment not to lose this game. That meant doing whatever needed to be done to win.”

For the Big Ten’s defensive player of the year, that meant delivering a career offensive day.

Southern Cal might not believe it in the aftermath of the Spartans’ 74-69 second-round victory in the Midwest Regional, but the Trojans did read the scouting report accurately: Leave Walton alone on the perimeter. He can’t hurt you from there.

But his 18-point game provides another footnote in the enduring NCAA tournament history of players rising up at the right moment, finding strength in what once was weakness.

“Quite simply,” coach Tom Izzo said, “that’s what champions do.”

Walton doesn’t desire becoming Izzo’s first four-year player not to play in a Final Four. He understands the importance of legacies with this program. It’s all about the banners you raise, the championship caps you wear and the victory nets you cut down.

Not that he needed more inspiration, Walton nonetheless found an extra gear of motivation from a pregame video that the team managers produced. The presentation invoked memories of special tournament moments like Rip Hamilton’s buzzer-beater in 1998 that advanced Connecticut into the Elite Eight.

The message behind the montage: You too can be legendary — if you crave it bad enough.

This victory was an important stepping-stone for the Spartans. Walton’s shooting exhibition will command much of the attention. But Durrell Summers and Chris Allen emerged from shooting inconsistencies. Kalin Lucas ran the offense near flawlessly late in the second half as the determined teams traded blows and baskets.

Each second that ticked off raised the importance of each possession and the magnitude of each mistake.

This game was vintage Madness.

“I’m going to enjoy this one for a while,” said Izzo. “It was special because I think we might finally be seeing these guys taking ownership of this team. They didn’t crack when we made a couple mistakes. They maintained poise, and that’s so awfully important the deeper you get into this thing.”

Walton didn’t only shoot the ball. He made some late coaching decisions. Izzo wanted to take out freshman Draymond Green, but Walton waved him off — telling Izzo they had their defensive team on the floor.

Izzo listened.

Seedings are deceptive when approaching the second round. The Trojans were a 10th seed in timing alone, not talent. The Spartans had their share of injuries and scrambled starting lineups, but their woes were nothing compared with USC’s. Sunday was the 10th time this season that their regular starting lineup was available.

They were a late, unexpected invitee to the tournament, needing the Pac-10 tourney championship for admittance.

When healthy, the Trojans are the quality of a fourth or fifth seed. There was some pregame lamenting that Michigan State might have been better off playing seventh-seeded Boston College because the Eagles weren’t terribly athletic, but if you think you’re worthy of national championship consideration, you should be able to step it up regardless of the level of competition.

Walton did just that. He would not let Michigan State lose.

Who would’ve guessed — through the endless pregame blather about what the Spartans needed for victory — that the correct answer was 18 points from a guy who didn’t total 18 points for five straight games this season?

“My job is to play defense,” Walton said, “but I’m a basketball player, first. And that means you’ve got to be confident enough to take the shot when they’re sagging off you, daring you to shoot. If you leave me open, I’m going to shoot the basketball, make it or miss. (USC) kept leaving me open.”

The Spartans celebrated like it was a victory over a higher seed. They were understandably concerned about the Trojans’ length and athleticism, but they had the guy with the bigger heart.