Illini grade: A
Player of the Game: Illinois' Demetri McCamey
The junior has been on a tear of late and Saturday was no different. He finished with a game-high 22 points and tied a career high with 11 assists.
FRONTCOURT
Illinois C
Michigan State C
Illinois got 14 points and nine rebounds from its three starting bigs. Uncharacteristically, the Spartans didn't get much production from their big men. Mike Tisdale didn't have a big game offensively, but he pulled down eight rebounds.
BACKCOURT
Illinois A
Michigan State B
Credit the Spartans for hanging without Kalin Lucas. But it's hard to imagine Lucas would have been able to contain McCamey, who had his way with defenders all night. Freshman D.J. Richardson (14 points) played beyond his years.
BENCH
Illinois A
Michigan State B
Mike Davis seems to have shaken his funk. His 16 points off the bench were key in the upset. Draymond Green may be a sophomore, but he plays like a grown man, as his 17 points and 16 rebounds prove.
OVERALL
Illinois A
Michigan State C
A good way to start a brutal stretch of games against the league's elite. The upset gives the Illini hope heading into the last seven games and gets them back into the conversation for an NCAA bid.
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