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Big Ten title comes down to the final day? That’s fitting

Jared Sullinger, Adreian Payne

Michigan State’s Adreian Payne (5) dunks over Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

AP

The Big Ten’s been college basketball toughest conference all season. Makes sense the champion wouldn’t be determined until the very end.

No. 5 Michigan State enters Sunday with a one-game lead on No. 10 Ohio State and No. 13 Michigan. The Spartans and Buckeyes are in East Lansing, while the Wolverines travel to Penn State. By the end of the day, they could all be tied at the top and share the crown. Or the Spartans could stand alone.

That’s all MSU senior Draymond Green is focused on.

“You just don’t want to be that guy,” Green said. “We have a great opportunity to not be that guy and we just have to take advantage of it, but it’s not going to be a cake walk. They’re not coming in here and laying down and we’re not going to lay down.

“We just have to make sure we come out on top, last man standing.”

The Spartans are sure to be an emotional bunch when it begins. Senior Day festivities usually bring out a raucous crowd, but Sunday could be louder than ever with Delvon Roe – who quit back in Septmeber because his body wouldn’t let him continue playing – being honored along with Green, Austin Thornton, Brandon Wood and Anthony Ianni. It’s not #LetDelvonPlay, but the next best thing.

Don’t expect the Buckeyes to be willing subjects, though.

The preseason pick to win the league is 3-3 in their last six games, one of which was a home loss to Michigan State. That hasn’t sat well with sophomore center Jared Sullinger.

“We played terrible. We didn’t execute our system,” he said. “We didn’t make shots that we normally make. They just out-toughed us. They punked us.”

When the ball tips at 4 ET, we could see the best game of the weekend.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.