Post Game Notes: UMES

Dec. 9, 2015

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No. 1 Michigan State moved to a perfect 10-0 after a 78-35 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The 10-0 mark matches the second-best start in school history, which was set in 1991-92. The Spartans' best start was set in 2000-01, winning the year's first 12 games.

MSU is now 6-0 all-time against teams currently in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

This marks the first time the Spartans have held back-to-back opponents under 40 points since the 1948-1949 season when MSU fell to Detroit, 35-34, on Jan. 17 before beating Wayne State, 37-25, in double-overtime on Jan. 22.

Senior guard Denzel Valentine posted his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Valentine, who leads the Big Ten in assists per game, dished out a team-high six helpers.

The Spartans, who are averaging a nation's best 23.0 assists per game, recorded 25 assists on 27 made baskets. Nine Spartans tallied at least one assist in the contest.

The Spartans shot 50 percent from the field and posted a season-high 54.5 percent from behind the arc, including a sharp second half that featured a 66.7 percent effort from the field and 71.4 percent from 3-point range.

Redshirt junior guard Eron Harris tied his season-high with 12 points, shooting 4-6 from the field and sinking a perfect 4-4 from 3-point range.

Senior guard Bryn Forbes tied a career high with five assists and shot 4-10 from the field, good for a team-high 14 points. This marks the third game that Forbes has led the Spartans in scoring this season.

Despite not shooting a first-half free-throw, MSU made 12-15 in the second half, good for an 80 percent effort from the charity stripe.

Michigan State never trailed in the contest. This marks the second-straight game and the third game this season that the Spartans haven't trailed. MSU hasn't trailed in the last 88:08 of play.

The Spartans held a 40-6 edge in bench points over Maryland Eastern Shore.

MSU held UMES to 21.9 percent from the field after holding Binghamton to 16.7 percent in the last contest on Dec. 5.

Fourteen players saw the court with nine sporting double-figure minutes.