Post Game Notes: Northwestern
1/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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With 513 wins at Michigan State, Tom Izzo moves ahead of Gene Keady for second-most victories at a Big Ten school, trailing only Bob Knight (661 wins). Izzo is also third all-time with 238 Big Ten wins, trailing just Knight (353 wins) and Keady (265 wins).
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Northwestern, 88-38, including a 35-30 advantage in games played in Evanston. The Spartans have won 23 of the last 25, 30 of the last 33, and 50 of the last 54 contests. Tom Izzo is 33-4 in his career against Northwestern.
Denzel Valentine opened the game 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, pacing MSU with 14 points at the half. With 19 points at Northwestern, Valentine passed Julius McCoy to move into 23rd all-time at Michigan State with 1,381 career points. He finished with seven assists and six rebounds.
Deyonta Davis swatted away six shots, setting the MSU freshman single-game record and matching the second-most blocks in a single game in MSU history. Davis has 45 blocks this season. He led MSU with a game high 11 rebounds, matching his career high that he has posted three times.
Freshman Matt McQuaid hit 5-of-8 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 17 points. It was McQuaid's second double-digit point total this season, having scored 10 against Illinois on Jan. 7. The five field goals from range set a new career high that was previously three set against Kansas on Nov. 17.
Michigan State knocked down 8-of-11 3-point field goals in the first 20 minutes of play. The Spartans finished 16-of-26 from range, setting new season highs for made 3-pointers and 3-point field goal percentage (.615).
MSU went 28-of-55 (50.9 percent) from the floor, marking the eighth time this season the Spartans have shot 50.0 percent or better from the field.
The Spartans went 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. The last time Michigan State shot five or fewer free throws was Jan. 17, 2012, at Michigan. The Spartans went 4-of-5 from the line against the Wolverines more than four years ago.
MSU's last three Big Ten road wins by 30 or more points have all come at Northwestern. Before tonight's 31-point victory, the Spartans downed the Wildcats 59-29 on Jan. 27, 2000. Michigan State beat Northwestern by 34 points on Feb. 27, 1986, when the Spartans won 82-48.
