Dawson's absence could really hurt the Spartans in the NCAA Tournament and they will have to hope the McDonald's All-American will be able to recover quickly enough to be ready for the start of next season.
The last day of the regular season couldn't have gone any worse for Michigan State. Their last-second 72-70 loss to Ohio State not only cost them an outright Big Ten regular season title, but also starting SF Branden Dawson:
Just got confirmation that Michigan State freshman Branden Dawson is done for the season with a torn ACL.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) March 5, 2012
Dawson, a 6'6 220 freshman wing, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in Gary, Indiana, and he's been one of the rare freshman able to walk in and start in Tom Izzo's program.
He's averaged 8.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.0 assists on 57% shooting this season while also giving the Spartans a defensive match-up for bigger and more athletic wings.
His absence could come back to haunt the Spartans if they face a high-scoring shooting guard or small forward in the NCAA Tournament.
However, the real concern is whether he'll be able to play at the start of the next season, as he would have been one of the players Izzo counted on to replace graduating senior Draymond Green's offensive production.
For the latest news and notes on Michigan State basketball, head over to The Only Colors.
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