AUSTIN, Texas -Kentucky's 3-point prayer bounced on the rim four times before falling through, and everybody held their breath during a five-minute review.
It was a 3-pointer, all right, forcing overtime.
But Michigan State reclaimed the momentum in time to force a second extra session, earning the Spartans a trip to the Final Four -their fourth in seven years -with their trademark withering defense.
As the final seconds of the first overtime ticked away, Kevin Torbert stood near halfcourt, smiled at his Michigan State teammates and screamed, Let's go! -and they did, not even allowing a last shot.
The Spartans made the most of their second overtime, pulling away 94-88 in a gripping finish to send Michigan State into the Final Four for the fourth time in seven years.
The trip to St. Louis, where they'll face North Carolina, will be sweet vindication for the Spartans' upperclassmen, a group that's been chided for being soft, weak and underachieving. Torbert, Alan Anderson and Chris Hill -seniors who were oh-so-close to breaking the chain of Final Fours begun by their predecessors from 1999-2001 -simply wouldn't let it happen.
Torbert went 5-of-6 from the foul line in the second overtime and Anderson was 4-of-4, keeping Kentucky from ever leading again in what certainly will go down as one of the more amazing of their NCAA-record 137 games.
It was the first time in tournament history that three regional finals went to overtime. Only once before had it happened in two of the four games, in 1992.
Fueled by Patrick Sparks' longball at the end of regulation -which the referees reviewed for five minutes to be sure his right toe hadn't touched the line -the Wildcats jumped to a 79-75 lead at the start of the first extra period. But they never led again and coach Tubby Smith remains without a trip back to the Final Four since winning it all in 1998. They've gone down in the regional finals three times, twice now to the Spartans.
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The Associated Press
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Michigan State coach Tom Izzo cuts down the net at the NCAA Austin Region final at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas yesterday. Michigan State beat Kentucky, 94-88, in double overtime.
