Michigan State-Duke Postgame Notes
12/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2003
Recap?|? Final Stats?|? Quotes
MSU Game Notes
Attendance: 14,759. Today's game marked the 87th-consecutive sellout in the Breslin Center. MSU is 76-5 in its last 81 regular season games in the Breslin Center.
Michigan State suffered its first loss during Big Ten/ACC Challenge play. The Spartans had been a perfect 3-0 in the Challenge, with one other game (2001 at Virginia) cancelled due to unplayable floor conditions.
The 22-point margin of defeat was MSU's largest loss at the Breslin Center since a 68-43 loss to Minnesota Jan. 4, 1997 - a span of 106 games.
The Spartans also were dealt their worst non-conference loss since falling to North Carolina, 92-70, Nov. 21, 1995 in Maui.
Michigan State is now 1-4 all-time against Duke. Tonight's game was the first in the series to be played on either campus. Duke has won the last four meetings, including the last meeting prior tonight at the 1999 National Semifinals.
Michigan State was held to a season-low 50 points. MSU's previous low was 64 in the season-opening win against Bucknell. The Spartans were averaging 76.0 points per game entering the contest.
MSU entered the game with five players averaging double-figure scoring, but not one Spartan player reached double figures tonight. It is the first time this season that at least two Spartans did not score in double digits.
MSU committed 20 turnovers in tonight's game, including 17 in the first half. The Spartans are averaging just 12.7 turnovers in their three wins, but are now averaging 22 turnovers in their two losses, having turned the ball over 24 times in the loss at Kansas.
Junior Chris Hill was held to eight points, and did not sink a three-point basket. It is just the fourth time in 71 career games that Hill did not make at least one three-pointer.
Senior Rashi Johnson scored a career-high seven points. His previous career best was four points vs. Oklahoma State Nov. 30, 2002.
Freshman Justin Ockerman scored the first two points of his career on a tip-in in the final two minutes of the game.