INFO » United rarely looked like scoring, however,

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State cant count on many of its players to perform consistently well. Keith Appling has been an exception in Big Ten play. Appling scored 24 points to help the fifth-ranked Spartans beat Minnesota 87-75 in overtime Saturday after overcoming a double-digit deficit in the second half and blowing a lead late in regulation. "No lead is safe at the end of a game, especially in the Big Ten," Appling said. The Spartans (15-1, 4-0 Big Ten) are well aware of that fact. The Spartans scored 15 straight points while holding the Golden Gophers (13-4, 2-2) scoreless for nearly 8 minutes after trailing 53-43 with 15:57 left. Michigan State missed an opportunity to win in regulation for the second straight game, losing a five-point lead in the last 13 seconds. The Spartans were without Adreian Payne because of a sprained right foot. "Theres nothing medically wrong that we can observe," coach Tom Izzo said. "Theres no stress fracture. He wanted to play. Hes not being a wimp. He just didnt feel he could, so I didnt want to take a chance and suit him up." Payne didnt start the previous game, but scored 18 points in an overtime win over No. 3 Ohio State in which Michigan State wasted a 17-point lead in the second half. "We deserve some criticism for how weve executed," Izzo said. Late in regulation, the Gophers (13-4, 2-2) made plays and got a break that gave them a shot to pull off an upset. Minnesotas Malik Smith made his fifth 3-pointer, Gary Harris missed two free throws with 11.3 seconds left for the Spartans and DeAndre Mathieus layup with 1.7 seconds left tied the game and sent it to overtime. First-year Gophers coach Richard Pitino was glad Mathieu made the shot, but it wasnt the one he wanted. "I was running a play and trying to shoot a 3 to be honest with you," Pitino said. Michigan State scored the first nine points of OT, ending Minnesotas chance to beat a top-five team on its home court for the first time in school history and to win at the Breslin Center for the first time since 1997. "Anytime you go on the road in a great environment and you step up for 40 minutes and you dont win the game, it is a bit of a missed opportunity," Pitino said. "But there will be plenty more." Minnesotas next two home games are against Ohio State and Wisconsin, teams currently ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in The Associated Press poll. The Spartans barely did enough to keep winning and match the best 16-game record Izzo has had in 19 seasons, equaling the record they had during the 2000-01 season as defending national champions. Minnesota guard Austin Hollins turned the ball over with 42 seconds left and teammate Andre Hollins had an ill-advised 3-pointer blocked with 23 seconds left, trailing by three on each possession. Then, the Gophers struggled to take care of the basketball in OT and couldnt stop the Spartans. "We just made some bonehead plays," Andre Hollins said. Minnesota needed more than 4 minutes to score in the extra period and those points pulled it within seven. "We came in confident," Andre Hollins said. "We expected to win this game. Its not a moral victory. We have to give them a lot of credit for making their free throws." Andre Hollins scored 24 and Smith had 17 points off the bench. Smith scored 11 of his points, nine on 3-pointers, in the first 12 minutes of the game to help the Gophers lead 41-36 at halftime after making 7 of 12 shots beyond the arc. They made just 3 of 14 3-pointers in the second half and overtime. Harris had 19 points and redshirt freshman Kenny Kaminski scored a season-high 15 -- all on 3-pointers. Appling said Kaminski, "saved the day," for the Spartans. Izzo has not been pleased lately with Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine and both played relatively well at times against Minnesota. Dawson finished with six points and 10 rebounds after not scoring and grabbing just three rebounds in the first half. "Theres something wrong with Brandan," Izzo said. "Theres something bothering him. You can see it -- you dont have to be a coach." Valentine had nine points, 10 rebounds, four assists, four steals and a blocked shot late in regulation. "He got some big rebounds late and he defended better," Izzo said. Wholesale KD Shoes . -- Jerel Worthy and his Michigan State teammates charged across the field, holding four fingers in the air while celebrating another sweet victory over their biggest rival. KD Shoes Outlet . "This doesnt end anything," he said. "Weve got 10-1 in our last 11 games, and were going home in first place. We just have to keep playing the way we are right now. http://www.kdcheap.com/ . Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. Cheap KD Shoes Free Shipping . Catch the game on TSN starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. You can also listen to all the action live on TSN 1050 at 7pm et. The Knicks are two games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference race. Cheap KD Shoes Sale . The Major League Soccer teams were scheduled to play on Saturday night, but their game was rescheduled after Stu Tudor was hit during a pregame storm. The 54-year-old lieutenant in the Columbus Fire Department is in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the Ohio State Medical Center.WASHINGTON -- Fabian Espindola scored twice and added an assist to lead D.C. United to a 4-1 victory over short-handed FC Dallas on Saturday night. Bobby Boswell and Sean Franklin also scored for the Washington club, which extended its unbeaten run to five matches and scored all four of its goals after the first-half ejection of Dallas defender Zach Loyd. Dallas Michel also was sent off late by referee Fotis Bazakos. D.C. forward and U.S. World Cup hopeful Eddie Johnson assisted on Espindolas first goal just before halftime, but left in the 51st minute with an apparent leg injury. Mauro Diaz put the visitors ahead early to extend Dallas streak of scoring at least one goal to seven matches. United improved to 3-2-2, and Dallas dropped to 5-2-1. But Dallas has conceded eight goals in its last three matches after allowing only six over its first five. United rarely looked like scoring, however, until Bazakos issued a second yellow card for Loyds slide tacklee on Uniteds Davy Arnaud in the 39th minute.dddddddddddd D.C. immediately seized momentum and pulled even deep into first-half stoppage time when Espindola headed in Johnsons outswinging cross. United then sealed things over a 10-minute span midway through the second half. Boswell put United ahead in the 60th minute when he hammered in a rebound after Chris Seitz saved Conor Doyles initial close-range shot. It was 3-1 three minutes later when Espindola split a pair of Dallas defenders on the left and chipped a cross toward Franklin, who side-footed his finish inside the right post. In the 69th, Espindola scored his second -- and his fourth of the season -- when he took Chris Rolfes feed on a counter attack and drove another low finish beyond Seitz. After snapping a 15-match streak without a victory that stretched back to August of 2013, United is now on its longest unbeaten run since it went seven unbeaten to close the 2012 regular season. ' ' '