CHICAGO (Michigan News Source) – Falling behind early to Ohio State, Michigan State ended their post-season Big Tournament run losing to the Buckeyes, 68-58. MSU was the no. 4 seed in the tournament while Ohio State is no. 13 and set the record for the lowest seed to advance in the Big Ten Tournament to the semi-final game.

“I give a lot of credit to Ohio State and to Chris Holtmann. He got his guys to play hard, and I just didn’t think we brought it. We were ready to go early, we get a little lead. You’ve got to give them credit too. They hit some incredible shots. We just couldn’t buy some,” said head coach Tom Izzo. ”I said to our media for three weeks that I didn’t think our defense has been very good and it would get you in a tournament, so I guess my experience kind of gave the answer.”

MORE NEWS: Michigan Dems Learn Nothing from Nov. 5, Back Bills for ‘Birthing People’

MSU only shot 38 percent from the floor and 18 percent from the arc making just three three-pointers. Joey Houser led the team with 15 points as Tyson Walker, Jaden Aikens, and A.J. Hoggard all had 10 points. MSU’s defense let Ohio State shoot 44 percent and 52 percent from the three-point line going 10-of-16.

Up early, 7-2, at 16:36, MSU let Ohio State go on an 18-8 run over eight minutes for a five-point lead, 20-15. MSU never regained the lead again and was down 11, 33-22, with 2:28 left in the half. Walker hit a jumper at 2:15 to cut the lead to nine, 33-24, at the half as neither team scored in the final two minutes.

Hoggard brought OSU’s lead down to two, 36-34, at 16:35 on a fast break but five minutes later the Buckeyes were back up by 10, 46-36, on a 10-2 run. The lead went to 13 points with 7:37 left but was within six, 56-50, at 4:54 on a Hoggard jumper. That is as close as MSU would come the rest of the way as they fell, 68-58.

They will now wait and see if their schedule was good enough to get them into the NCAA Tournament.