Michigan State basketball unwraps its present with 2nd-half push in 77-58 win over Oakland

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These games between Michigan State basketball and Oakland always have a certain look.

Scrappy. Physical. Closer than you’d expect.

And yet they always end the same way: With Tom Izzo shaking Greg Kampe’s hand in consolation.

This time, it took an 11-point outburst from Jaden Akins and Jaxon Kohler midway through the second half to give the 19th-ranked Spartans some breathing room en route to a 77-58 victory over the Golden Grizzlies on Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr (55) looks to dunk the ball that bounces out but scores on the outback, during the first period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.

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MSU (9-2) improved to 23-0 all-time against Oakland (3-6), all of them with Izzo and Kampe as the teams’ head coaches.

Xavier Booker scored a career-high 18 points, 11 of them in the second half. Akins had 16 points, while Kohler posted a double-double (14 points and 10 rebounds) and added three of the Spartans’ 11 blocked shots. Szymon Zapala swatted six shots.

MSU returns to East Lansing and hosts Florida Atlantic at 2 p.m. Saturday at Breslin Center (FS1).

DQ Cole scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half, and Malco Christie had 15 points as Oakland made 11 of 31 3-pointers. The Grizzlies travel to Cleveland State for a 7 p.m. tip Thursday.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies guard DQ Cole (10) gets the rebound during the first period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.

DQ Cole gives Oakland reasons to be merry

The first half went about as poorly for the Spartans as possible.

MSU started hot, opening up a 10-5 lead early with Kohler attacking the boards and Akins draining a pair of 3s. But Oakland pecked away and pestered the Spartans with their amorphous zone defense.

Things got sloppy, with the Grizzlies forcing MSU into seven turnovers in the first half and keeping plays…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-basketball-unwraps-present-020917751.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-12-18 02:09:00

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