Denzel Valentine gives Michigan State a win it badly needed

It might take awhile for Denzel Valentine’s smile to subside.

The hometown product drained a 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds for Michigan State on Saturday to break a tie game and ultimately beat No. 23 Ohio State 59-56. Valentine raced around a screen at the top of the arc, caught a pass and let the game-winner fly. It found the bottom of the net to the delight of thousands clad in white and coach Tom Izzo.

Ohio State had a chance to tie with 3.2 seconds left but turned the ball over on the inbounds pass. The Buckeyes nearly won the game despite going 8 minutes, 42 seconds at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half without making a field goal.

The Buckeyes clawed back to regain the lead with 5:19 remaining but they couldn’t hold off the Spartans who probably needed this one worse facing a daunting schedule down the stretch of the regular season.

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Michigan State must play four of its final six on the road, including trips to rival Michigan, Illinois and No. 5 Wisconsin and the regular season finale at Indiana. The Spartans have won three of their five Big Ten road games this season and lost one by two points.

So going on the road four times over the next month doesn’t necessarily mean bad outcomes are waiting, but Michigan State is definitely in a better position having won Saturday.

The game figured to be a nail-biter. It was the seventh time in the past eight meetings the game was decided by four points or less.

Four Ohio State starters scored in double figures, but coach Thad Matta got only three points from his bench.

Valentine scored a game-high 17 for the Spartans thanks to his clutch shot at the end. Branden Dawson scored 15 and Izzo got 20 combined points off the bench from Matt Costello, Travis Trice and Marvin Clark Jr.

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[Kyle Ringo is the assistant editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at kyle.ringo@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo

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