▁In ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Championship , ▁MS U ▁took ▁an ▁early ▁lead ▁at ▁hal ft ime ▁and ▁led ▁by ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 1 3 ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half . ▁However , ▁Pur due ▁came ▁back ▁to ▁keep ▁it ▁close , ▁but ▁MS U ▁again ▁pulled ▁out ▁a ▁close ▁game , ▁winning ▁ 6 6 – 6 2 . ▁With ▁the ▁win , ▁MS U ▁set ▁the ▁record ▁for ▁most ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Tournament ▁Championships ▁with ▁five ▁( Oh io ▁State ▁has ▁also ▁won ▁five , ▁but ▁one ▁has ▁been ▁vac ated ▁due ▁to ▁NCAA ▁viol ations ). ▁Valent ine ▁again ▁led ▁the ▁way ▁with ▁ 1 5 ▁points , ▁ 1 0 ▁reb ounds , ▁and ▁nine ▁ass ists . ▁Cost ello ▁also ▁set ▁MS U ' s ▁career ▁block ▁record , ▁passing ▁Br anden ▁Daw son , ▁with ▁ 1 4 5 . ▁MS U ' s ▁record ▁moved ▁to ▁ 2 9 – 5 ▁and , ▁pres umed ▁by ▁many ▁anal yst s , ▁to ▁a ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁seed ▁in ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Tournament . ▁ ▁NCAA ▁tournament ▁Following ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Championship , ▁MS U ▁learned ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁not ▁receive ▁a ▁No .   1 ▁seed , ▁instead ▁receiving ▁a ▁No .   2 ▁seed ▁in ▁the ▁Mid west ▁bra cket . ▁This ▁marked ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁consecutive ▁year ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁have ▁made ▁the ▁NCAA ▁Tournament . ▁Despite ▁receiving ▁the ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁seed , ▁MS U ▁was ▁considered ▁by ▁many ▁the ▁favorite ▁to