Sunday, December 8
East Lansing, Mich.
7 p.m.
Michigan State University
6-3,1-0Big Ten
77
vs
65
Rutgers
6-3,0-1Big Ten
1
2
F
Rutgers
28
37
65
Michigan St.
33
44
77
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell/MSU Athletic Communications
Winston Leads Four in Double Figures, Michigan State Beats Rutgers, 77-65
12/8/2019 10:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. – Senior guard Cassius Winston (Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) scored 23 points and handed out seven assists to lead four players in double figures as No. 11 Michigan State hung on to beat Rutgers, 77-65, in the Big Ten Conference opener for both schools on Sunday night at the Breslin Center.
Junior forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Christian) scored 14 points, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and had three assists, while sophomore forward Gabe Brown (Ypsilanti, Mich./Belleville) had 14 points and six rebounds and sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Summary
Key Stats
Up Next
Michigan State returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 14, visiting Oakland at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The game will air live on ESPN2 and tips off at noon.
Junior forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Christian) scored 14 points, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds and had three assists, while sophomore forward Gabe Brown (Ypsilanti, Mich./Belleville) had 14 points and six rebounds and sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Summary
- Michigan State led at the break by five points (33-28), took an 11-point lead (43-32) early in the second half before Rutgers pulled to within one point (43-42) and used a late run to close out the Scarlet Knights.
- MSU had a 33-28 lead at the break and did not score over the first two-plus minutes of the half, but used a 10-0 burst over a span of 3:40 and took its biggest lead, 43-32, on back-to-back 3-pointers from redshirt senior Kyle Ahrens (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) and Winston.
- Rutgers, however, used a 10-0 run and pulled to within 43-42 on free throws from Akwasi Yeboah at the 10:55 mark.
- MSU went scoreless for more than three minutes before a jumper at the 10:33 mark gave the Spartans a 45-40 lead.
- The Spartans jumped out to a quick 11-4 lead and forced Rutgers to call a timeout after a layup from sophomore forward Thomas Kithier (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) at the 15:39 mark.
- Rutgers pulled to within 14-11 on a basket from Yeboah at the 12:49 mark, but the Spartans used an 8-2 run and took their biggest lead of the half, 22-13, on a 3-pointer from sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) with 8;49 to play.
- MSU still led 27-21 after a 3-pointer from Brown, but Rutgers scored seven-straight points and took a 28-27 lead on a 3-pointer from Yeboah.
- The Spartans scored the final six points of the half over the remaining 2:13 to take a five-point lead (33-28) into the break.
Key Stats
- After shooting only 35.5 percent in the first half (11-of-31), MSU connected on 52.2 percent of its second half shots (12-of-23).
- Winston scored 13 of his game-high 21 points in the second half.
- Brown, Henry and Winston combined to hit 20-of-22 free throws, including 13-of-14 in the second half.
- The Spartans held a 40-32 advantage on the boards.
- MSU scored 15 points off the fast break.
- Michigan State improved to 10-0 all-time against Rutgers.
- The Spartans have won all nine games since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference.
- Cassius Winston had his 78th career game scoring in double figures.
- This was Winston's fifth game this season with at least 20 points and his 28th career game with at least 20 points.
- Winston's 23 points give him 1,571 for his career, moving him past Maurice Ager (2002-06) for 14th on the all-time MSU scoring list …. He needs 18 points to pass Morris Peterson (1995-2000) for 13th place.
- Winston has led MSU in scoring six times this season.
- Winston's handed out seven assists, his fifth game this season with at least seven.
- He now has 770 career assists and needs 47 to pass Mateen Cleaves for the all-time lead at MSU.
- Junior forward Xavier Tillman scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds for his third double-double this season and the eighth of his career.
- Tillman has led MSU in rebounding in all nine games this season.
- Tillman has scored in double figures six times this season and 26 times in his career.
- It was his fifth game with at least 10 rebounds this year and his 13th career.
- Henry scored in double figures for the fourth time this season and the eighth time in his career.
- Henry connected on a career-high seven free throws.
- Brown scored in double figures for the second time this season and the fourth of his career.
- Brown played a career-high 33 minutes.
- Brown hit a career-high eight free throws.
Up Next
Michigan State returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 14, visiting Oakland at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The game will air live on ESPN2 and tips off at noon.
Team Stats
RU
MSU
FG%
.400
.436
3FG%
.286
.333
FT%
.684
.815
RB
32
40
TO
11
12
STL
3
8
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
14
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
8
Pts
12
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Players Mentioned
G/F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
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