Michigan State 80, Harvard 73: Branden Dawson scored a career-high 26 points and recorded nine rebounds as the Spartans blew a 16-point lead in the second half before turning back the Crimson in the third round of the NCAA tournament Midwest regional in Spokane, Wash.

Gary Harris recorded 18 points, five assists and three steals for fourth-seed Michigan State (28-8), which meets No. 1 seed Virginia or No. 8 Memphis on Friday in the Sweet 16. Adreian Payne followed up his career-high 41-point effort against Delaware with 12 while Denzel Valentine added six points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Wesley Saunders scored 22 points for No.12 seed Harvard (27-5), which took its first lead with 7:11 to play on Laurent Rivard's 3-pointer. Steve Moundou-Missi contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds while Brandyn Curry added 12 points and six boards for the Crimson, who had their nine-game winning streak snapped.

Michigan State led 52-36 with 15:43 left before a 19-3 run - finished by Saunders' steal under the basket and dunk - tied it at 55. The Spartans answered Rivard's bucket with an 11-1 spurt - sparked by Travis Trice's 3-pointer and capped by consecutive treys by Harris and Valentine - to take a 71-63 lead with 4:02 left.

Harvard cut the deficit to four on Siyani Chambers' bucket with 1:36 remaining and had a chance to get within one possession, but Keith Appling stole the ball from Chambers with 43 seconds to play. Michigan State went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 41.1 seconds to seal it and deny Harvard its first trip to the Sweet 16.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Dawson matched his previous career high of 20 points in the first half, including 10 during a 12-5 run that gave the Spartans a 36-22 lead en route to a 45-33 bulge at the break. ... Michigan State is making its 12th appearance in the Sweet 16 in the last 17 years. ... Harvard coach Tommy Amaker, who coached at Michigan from 2001-07, fell to 3-8 against Michigan State's Tom Izzo.