INDIANAPOLIS, IN (AP) -- Kalin Lucas scored a career-high 30 points to help Michigan State beat No. 9 Purdue 74-56 on Friday in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.
Lucas tied a career high with four 3-pointers for the Spartans (19-13), who greatly improved their chances of receiving an NCAA tournament bid. Michigan State had a 14-11 record on Feb. 15 and was in danger of being left out of the field after reaching the Final Four the past two years. But now the Spartans have won five of their past seven games.
Purdue (25-7) had defeated the Spartans twice this season, including a 67-47 win at Michigan State on Feb. 27.
The Spartans said on Thursday that they wanted payback.
JaJuan Johnson, the Big Ten player of the year, had 21 points and nine rebounds for Purdue. E'Twaun Moore added 17 points for the Boilermakers, who have lost two straight and fallen from consideration for a No. 1 seed.
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