Chaney Johnson came up big with two big baskets. The first was with 8:59 when he connected on a basket to put the Tigers up 52-40. The next was when Michigan State had cut the Auburn lead to 52-44. Johnson scored a basket with 7:12 remaining to give the Tigers a 54-44 lead.

Michigan State basketball entered the season projected to be a middling Big Ten program. They ended the season as a 2-seed, falling by just six points to the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Auburn, in the Elite 8. It was an emotional loss for the Spartans and Tom Izzo, who has made no secret about his hopes to win another national title.