Let's face it - this was Michigan State's best road game of the year, particularly defensively. What sucked was the substitutions toward the end of the game didn't pay off, as Spartans' offensive came up short off the rim after several unforced errors by Lucas and Appling - sigh - couldn't be overcome. But that was LATE. Mich State was down by one at half and led the game well into the second half. This is on the road at #3 Ohio State. I kept watching 'cause I thought we could win. Play this game on a neutral site, and we have a shot.

The highs: The Bigs: Green, Nix, Sherman, Payne, even Roe -- when they were in, they played great defensively, I mean GREAT. Best the ES has seen all year... and, they even contributed more than half the points in the first half.

Other highs: Lucas and Keebler (the cookie guy?). Wow, Lucas looks back to his old self - had the turnovers late, but we will get that corrected - Lucas diced and sliced... and Keebler played like 25 minutes??? ??? and great defense. Give the Keebs credit on that end - will he be the next Bograkas scholarship? Could be - impressive.

The lows: Summers, Summers, and Summers. Wow. Probably the worst game of his career. And this guy did the tomahawk on Stanley Robinson/UConn (on the ES website) in the Final Four? You wouldn't know it; he was a complete no-show on the court. We could have used his outside shot. When he was put in the game, he just stood there like a piece of wood. What's wrong with him? No wonder Keebler played 25 minutes. He deserves the scholarship.

Bottom line: On the road, in tough environs after #1 team lost its first game, Mich State really played well for most of the game, without Delvon Roe, one of its best interior defenders. Big Green found some mojo, and is fighting hard and it shows. MSU MUST take punishment out on its next six opponents, beginning with Illinois in a ESPN Game Day on Saturday at 9 pm.

But we saw in the last two games that MSU has its Mojo back. Now, it is time to use it.