SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Tom Izzo went from wanting to redshirt Marvin Clark at the beginning of this season, to putting the 6-foot-6 true freshman into the pressure-packed situation of playing center against Louisville in the Elite Eight.
It’s been that type of year for Michigan State, which on Sunday punched its ticket for a trip to the Final Four with a 76-70 overtime victory over Louisville at the Carrier Dome in the East Regional final.
The No. 7 seed Spartans (27-11) will play No. 1 seed Duke (34-4) Saturday in Lucas Oil Stadium in a rematch of a game that took place earlier this season a few blocks away in downtown Indianapolis at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Clark only saw the floor for 13 minutes in that game, making 1-of-3 shots for two points with three rebounds and a turnover in Michigan State’s 81-71 loss on Nov. 18.
On Sunday, Clark was pressed into emergency center at center when Matt Costello fouled out with 2:21 remaining and the Spartans leading 63-59.
Clark has become known for entering games and hitting 3-point shots as a wing, but with the season on the line he found himself matched up against Cardinals’ center Mangok Mathiang, a 6-foot-10, 220-pound third-year player.
Clark scored first in the battle, making an acrobatic shot in the lane near the end of the shot clock to give Michigan State a 65-64 lead in regulation after Louisville had rallied.
The Cardinals looked to answer, but Terry Rozier missed a jumper, and Clark out-fought Mathiang for the rebound and was fouled.
With 21.4 seconds left, Clark went to the line and missed both free throws, giving Louisville the opportunity to send the game to overtime when Mathiang split a pair of free throws with 3.2 seconds left.
“I’m happy he missed that second free throw,” Clark said. “I’d have been in tears if he didn’t.
“I’m mad at myself i didn’t make them, but after I missed them, Trav (Trice) told me to keep my head up. He said I’m part of the reason we are in this position, so I had to step up and play big.”
Clark was calm and collected when he was called upon again just 47 seconds into the overtime when Gavin Schilling fouled out.
Clark more than held his own, as the same Cardinals team that out-scored MSU 24-10 in the paint in the first half failed to get any buckets in the paint with Clark at center in the overtime period.
“I tip my hat to Sunrise (Academy) for putting me in that weight room, because that’s the only way I kept them out of the paint in overtime, just strength, and the will we have as a team,” Clark said. “It was the war drill we do, and instilling those drills into this game.”
MSU associate head coach Dwayne Stephens said he was proud of Clark’s performance.
“”He did an unbelievable job of going in there and getting a big-time rebound,” Stephens said. “I wish he had made those free throws because he deserved to, he has put in a ton of work.
“Marvin doesn’t always get the minutes, but every time we put him out there it seems like he does something good for us.”
Izzo smiled and said Clark has come a long way in earning his trust.
“It’s been a voyage through some rough seas, and yet we had enough faith in him to put him in there even though he’s not as big,” Izzo said. ” I thought in general, he did a lot.
“I think at the end, when I asked him how he missed those two free throws, he acted like he didn’t need them there. He’s saving them for next week. So maybe that’s okay.”
Michigan State freshman Marvin Clark plays big in critical minutes at center in ... - MLive.com
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