Sunday, December 29
East Lansing, Mich.
8 p.m.
Michigan State University
10-3,2-0Big Ten
95
vs
62
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Western Michigan
7-6,0-0MAC
1
2
F
Western Mich.
24
38
62
Michigan St.
48
47
95
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell/MSU Athletic Communications
Loyer Helps Lead No. 14 Michigan State Past Western Michigan, 95-62
12/29/2019 10:58:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. – Sophomore guard Foster Loyer (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) scored a career-high 16 points and had six assists to lead four players in double figures as No. 14 Michigan State used a big first half run en route to a 95-62 win over Western Michigan on Sunday night at the Breslin Center.
Junior forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Christian) had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) scored 15 points, handed out five assists and had three rebounds and .redshirt senior Kyle Ahrens (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) added 12 points and three rebounds.
Records
Michigan State won its fifth-straight game and the seventh in the last eight, improving to 10-3 overall, while Western Michigan falls to 7-6.
Summary
Michigan State returns to Big Ten Conference play and continues a five-game homestand on Thursday, Jan. 2, hosting Illinois (8 p.m.).
Junior forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Christian) had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) scored 15 points, handed out five assists and had three rebounds and .redshirt senior Kyle Ahrens (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) added 12 points and three rebounds.
Records
Michigan State won its fifth-straight game and the seventh in the last eight, improving to 10-3 overall, while Western Michigan falls to 7-6.
Summary
- The Spartans opened the game up in the first half with a 25-0 run to take a 33-14 lead and never looked back, taking a 48-24 lead at halftime.
- MSU took its biggest lead, 89-44, on a layup from freshman guard Rocket Watts (Detroit, Mich./SPIRE Academy [Ohio]) with 4:44 left to play in the game.
- Michigan State controlled from the tip and had a 21-point lead at halftime, 41-20, and used a 15-4 run early in the second half to push it over 30 points, 60-28, on a layup from sophomore forward Thomas Kithier (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) at the 14:06 mark.
- MSU took an early lead on a 3-pointer from Loyer to start the game and MSU was head 8-7 after a dunk and a free throw from freshman forward Malik Hall (Aurora, Ill./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]).
- The Broncos, however, responded with a 7-0 run and took a 14-8 lead on a driving layup from Chase Barrs at the 14:33 mark.
- Michigan State responded with 10 points in the span of 1:12 and took an 18-14 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers from Ahrens and Tillman with 12:37 to play.
- That triggered a 25-0 run over 7:20 as the Spartans increased their lead to 33-14 on free throws from Hall with 6:29 to play in the half.
- Western Michigan went scoreless for 8:21, breaking through on a jumper from Brandon Johnson with 6:21 to play in the half.
- Michigan State took its biggest lead, 48-24, on a put-back dunk from sophomore forward Marcus Bingham Jr. (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Catholic Central) with 17 seconds left in the half.
- The Spartans used a 25-0 run in the first half and held Western Michigan without a point for more than eight minutes.
- MSU handed out 28 assists on 32 field goals.
- Michigan State held a 46-24 advantage on the boards and scored 36 points in the paint.
- MSU scored 24 points off 12 WMU turnovers and scored 20 second-chance points.
- The Spartans connected on 80.8 percent of its free throws (21-of-26).
- The MSU bench accounted for 38 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists.
- Michigan State closed out its non-conference slate with an 8-3 record and enters the remainder of the Big Ten slate with a 10-3 record (2-0 in league play).
- MSU leads the all-time series with Western Michigan, 26-11, including a 20-7 advantage at home.
- The Spartans have won the last six meetings and nine of the last 10 overall.
- Loyer posted career-highs in points (16), assists (6) and minutes played (21).
- Tillman registered his fifth double-double of the season (15 points, 11 rebounds) and the 10th of his career.
- This was his ninth game with at least 10 points this season (29th career) and the seventh game this season with at least 10 rebounds (15th career).
- Henry scored in double figures for the seventh time this season and the 11th time of his career.
- This was the fourth-straight game Henry has handed out at least five assists.
- Ahrens scored in double figures for the first time this season and the fourth time in his carerer.
- Bingham grabbed a carerer-high eight rebounds.
- The team's 28 assists were the second-most this season.
- Michigan State senior guard Cassius Winston (Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) did not play in the game following a bone bruise in his left knee suffered in practice on Friday.
Michigan State returns to Big Ten Conference play and continues a five-game homestand on Thursday, Jan. 2, hosting Illinois (8 p.m.).
Team Stats
WMU
MSU
FG%
.419
.492
3FG%
.269
.370
FT%
.500
.808
RB
24
46
TO
12
9
STL
4
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
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