Michigan State trailed top-seeded Kansas by just a point with about 12 minutes to play in Sunday's second-round NCAA tournament game.
By the time the clock ran out, the Spartans were down 20.
The Jayhawks blew out the Spartans over the final 12 minutes in this one, eliminating Tom Izzo's team from the Big Dance with a 90-70 decision in Tulsa.
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For Izzo, whose teams typically run deep into March, it's back-to-back eliminations in the tournament's opening weekend.
Kansas looked like it would run away early, breaking away from a 27-all tie with a 13-2 run to grab an 11-point edge late in the first half. But Michigan State managed to get the gap down to just five by halftime thanks to a Joshua Langford 3-pointer and three Miles Bridges free throws to close out the opening 20 minutes, during which the Jayhawks shot 50 percent from the field and the Spartans splashed home five triples.
Kansas' lead was at eight in the early stages of the second half when Michigan State went on an 11-4 run to get within a point at 54-53 with about 12 minutes to go. But the Jayhawks exploded from there, using a 13-4 run to regain a double-digit advantage and then continuing to pour it on. After Michigan State got within one, Kansas held a 36-17 scoring advantage and cruised to a blowout victory and a Sweet Sixteen berth.
The Spartans' freshman stars did come to play, Bridges finishing with a team-high 22 points and Nick Ward and Langford scoring 13 and 10, respectively.
Big Ten
The Jayhawks shot 53.1 percent on the game and got big performances from Josh Jackson and Frank Mason III, who scored 23 and 20 points, respectively.
Michigan State has now failed to reach the Sweet Sixteen in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2007, a fact that shows how perennially successful Izzo's teams have been. The Spartans reached four straight Sweet Sixteens from 2012 to 2015.