INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Maryland rallied and battled, but lost its Big Ten Tournament Second-Round game to No. 7 seed Michigan State 76-72, on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Terps stand at 15-17 on the season. 

Four Terps scored in double-figures. 

Fatts Russell tallied a game-high 20 points, grabbed a game-high seven rebounds and handed out six assists. Eric Ayala scored 17 points and brought down six rebounds while Donta Scott scored 15 points with six rebounds. Hakim Hart added 11 points. 

As the Terps rallied, they cut the lead down to two with 1:06 remaining on a three-point play from Russell. After the Spartans scored four consecutive points, Hart and Ayala scored in the paint to cut it back down to two with 16 seconds left. 

The Spartans (21-11) advance to play No. 2 seed Wisconsin on Friday at 6:30 p.m. Michigan State was led by Gabe Brown (13 points and 6 rebounds) and Max Christie (14 points.)

Breaking Down The Action

• Michigan State hit five field goal attempts in a row to take an early 15-7 lead five minutes into the game. Maryland clawed its way back to within one point (18-17), but was not able to take a lead for the remainder of the half. Xavier Green keyed a late 7-0 spurt as Maryland cut its deficit to 35-30 with four minutes left in the half. The Spartans led 43-34 at halftime. 

• The Spartans continued to hold a double-figure lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 20. Maryland scored nine points in a row to get back to within 10 at 59-49 on a Donta Scott three-pointer. The lead was cut to nine on a Hakim Hart dunk with 5:30 left at 65-56. The Terps then cut it down to six on an Ayala free throw with 1:44 remaining. The lead shrunk to two on a Fatts Russell and-one with 1:06 remaining and then again with 16 seconds on an Ayala layup.

Double-Figure Update 

• Ayala (15 points) has scored in double-figures in 23 games this season and now has 74 in his career. 

• Russell (20 points) hit double-figures for the 27th time this season, including the last 15 games in a row, and 103rd time in his career (in 151 games).

• Scott (15 points) scored 10-plus for the 23rd time this season and 46th time in his career. 
• Hart (11 points) tallied his 18th game this year and 26th in his career in double-figures.

Ayala Moves To 20th On Scoring Chart

• With 17 points in the game, Eric Ayala moved to 20th in career scoring with 1,449 at Maryland, passing current Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jake Layman (1,436). Next on the list at No. 19 is Derrick Lewis with 1,458. 
• Ayala also hit two three-pointers and now has 223 in his career. He's third all-time behind only Juan Dixon (239) and Greivis Vasquez (230)