Michigan State University
Penn State
Spartan Defense Cages Up Nittany Lions
1/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 14, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Chris Hill had 17 points, including the 1,000th of his three-year career, in Michigan State's 76-58 win over Penn State on Wednesday night.
It was the first victory of 2004 for the Spartans (6-7, 1-1 Big Ten), who played with obvious passion, passed the ball for easy baskets and snapped a two game losing streak.
Shannon Brown added 13 points, Paul Davis had 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds and Michigan State shot .571 from the field - .625 for the second half.
The Spartans also played much-improved defense, held Nittany Lions star Jan Jagla to two points, 15.4 below his average, and had a 33-23 rebounding edge.
Aaron Johnson had 17 points and Marion Smith had 15 for the Penn State (8-6, 2-1), which shot .380 from the field and lost for the first time in four games.
Hill's third 3-pointer of the first half and a one-on-one spin move by Torbert gave Michigan State a 35-25 halftime lead after the Nittany Lions trimmed a 12-point margin to five.
The Spartans broke the game open with a 7-0 spurt early in the second half and never led by less than 11 points again, as nine players scored for Tom Izzo's team, suddenly just a half-game back in a league with no unbeaten teams.
