Michigan State vs. Coppin State Post-game Notes

Dec. 30, 2003

+ Two Spartans posted season-best scoring totals tonight against Coppin State. Kelvin Torbert's 21 points were just one off his career high, while his previous best effort this season was 19 points against DePaul on Nov. 30. Chris Hill's 18 points were also a season high, as he recorded 17 at UCLA on Dec. 20.

+ Tonight marked the first time in the last three seasons that the Spartans had two players score 20 or more points in a game, as Paul Davis contributed 22 and Kelvin Torbert had 21.

+ In its last five games, MSU is 109-of-135 at the free throw line, an average of .807.

+ Michigan State shot .610 from the field tonight, its best field goal percentage of the season. The Spartans' previous high was 50.0 against South Florida on Dec. 16.

+ True to form, the Spartan bench contributed 40 points against Coppin State tonight, including a combined 39 points from Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert. In the last four games, MSU's reserves have outscored its opponents' benches by 36.

+ At 8:11 in the first half, the Spartans trailed by eight (24-16), which marked the largest deficit MSU has overcome to win a game in 2003-04.

+ The Spartans claimed their first lead of the game at 28-27 with 2:36 left in the first half. From there, the Spartans never trailed by more than three in the game.

+ MSU's 14 turnovers tonight were just above its current average of 13.5 in games it wins in 2003.

+ Since 1998-99, Michigan State has won 78 of its 83 regular-season games in the Breslin Center. The arena was sold out for the 89th consecutive game.

+ Tonight marked the first game all season in which the Spartans were tied with their opponent at halftime, making MSU 1-0 in such games.