– 3 7 ▁lead ▁to ▁the ▁half . ▁In ▁the ▁second ▁half , ▁MS U ▁ran ▁away ▁with ▁it , ▁shooting ▁ 6 6 . 7 % ▁from ▁the ▁field ▁in ▁the ▁game . ▁Senior ▁Den zel ▁Valent ine ▁led ▁the ▁way ▁with ▁ 2 7 ▁points ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁ass ists . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁finished ▁with ▁ 9 1 – 7 6 ▁victory ▁to ▁cl inch ▁the ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁seed ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ▁Tournament . ▁MS U ▁finished ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 6 – 5 ▁overall ▁record ▁and ▁ 1 3 – 5 ▁in ▁conference , ▁good ▁enough ▁for ▁second ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten . ▁The ▁ 2 6 ▁wins ▁tied ▁the ▁most ▁for ▁a ▁Michigan ▁State ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season . ▁The ▁team ▁still ▁had ▁the ▁opportunity , ▁with ▁post season ▁vict ories , ▁to ▁ear n ▁the ▁most ▁wins ▁ever ▁for ▁a ▁Michigan ▁State ▁basketball ▁team ▁in ▁a ▁season . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 8 , ▁USA ▁Today ▁named ▁Valent ine ▁National ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁over ▁Oklahoma ' s ▁Bud dy ▁H ield . ▁The ▁Big ▁Ten ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁Valent ine ▁was ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten ' s ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁For bes ▁was ▁named ▁Second ▁Team ▁All - Big ▁Ten ▁and ▁Cost ello ▁was ▁voted ▁second ▁team ▁by ▁the ▁media ▁and ▁third ▁team ▁by ▁the ▁coach es . ▁Valent ine ▁was ▁the ▁fifth ▁player ▁under ▁Iz zo ▁and ▁e ighth ▁in ▁Michigan ▁State ▁history ▁to ▁be