Post Game Notes: Rutgers
3/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Michigan State leads the all-time series with Rutgers, 4-0, including a 2-0 advantage in Piscataway, having won last season at The RAC in the first meeting between the Spartans and Scarlet Knights as conference opponents.
Senior guard Bryn Forbes set a Big Ten record, knocking down 11 3-point field goals after entering the matchup as the nation's leader in 3-point percentage (.500). The 11 made 3's broke the record of 10 set by Chris Hill on Feb. 23, 2003, against Syracuse. Hill finished 10-of-18 against the Orange, while Forbes went 11-of-16. Ohio State's Jon Diebler also had 10 3-pointers in a single game against Penn State on March 11, 2011.
After scoring in double-digits just one time in the past six games, junior Eron Harris tallied 15 points at Rutgers. Harris finished 6-of-11 from the field, including making three 3-pointers.
Leading by two at the half, 43-41, the Spartans opened the second on a 20-3 run to open up at 19-point gap. Forbes scored nine of the 20, all coming from beyond the arc.
Denzel "Mr. Versatility" Valentine proved his diverse skillset with 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Valentines eight boards and eight helpers were both above his season average of 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists, respectively.
The five players in double-figures (Forbes â€" 33, Costello- 10, Harris â€" 15, Valentine â€" 14, Clark Jr. â€" 10) was the second time this season for MSU. Five Spartans scored in double-digits against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 23.
Michigan State outrebounded Rutgers, 50-24, including a season-high 23 offensive boards. It is the sixth time this season that the Spartans have boasted a +20 margin on the glass. The Spartans recorded more offensive rebounds than the Scarlet Knights did on the defensive end (18).
The Spartans' 27 assists were one shy of tying a season high set twice by MSU, most recently against Rutgers on Jan. 31.
Michigan State has made a combined 33 3-point field goals against Rutgers in two meetings this season.
MSU's six games with 90 or more points this season are the most since hitting the mark seven times in 2013-14.
Sophomore forward Marvin Clark Jr. set a season-high with 10 points. Clark Jr. has recorded double-digits nine times in his career. MSU is 9-0 in those games.
Michigan State has beaten back-to-back opponents by 31 points, defeating Penn State on Feb. 28 88-57. It's the second time in conference play MSU has beaten back-to-back opponents by 30 or more points. It's the eighth 30-point win for Spartans this season.
