Friday, January 17
East Lansing, Mich.
7 p.m.
Michigan State University
14-4,6-1Big Ten
67
vs
55
Wisconsin
11-7,4-3Big Ten
1
2
F
Wisconsin
20
35
55
Michigan St.
35
32
67
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Four in Double Figures as Michigan State Beats Wisconsin, 67-55
1/17/2020 9:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Cassius Winston Breaks the MSU, Big Ten All-Time Assist Record
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's men's basketball team used a big second half run, four players scored in double figures and senior guard Cassius Winston (Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) became the all-time leader in assists at the school as the Spartans beat Wisconsin, 67-55, at the Breslin Center Friday night.
Junior forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Catholic Central) scored 15 points, had eight rebounds and four assists to lead the Spartans, while sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward Gabe Brown (Ypsilanti, Mich./Belleville) had 13 points and four rebounds and freshman guard Rocket Watts (Detroit, Mich./SPIRE Academy [Ohio]) added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Records
Michigan State,winners of nine of its last 10 games, improves to 14-4 overall and 6-1, while Wisconsin falls to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in league play.
Summary
Michigan State hits the road next week for a pair of games, starting on Thursday, Jan. 23 when the team visits Indiana.
Junior forward Xavier Tillman (Grand Rapids, Mich./GR Catholic Central) scored 15 points, had eight rebounds and four assists to lead the Spartans, while sophomore forward Aaron Henry (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward Gabe Brown (Ypsilanti, Mich./Belleville) had 13 points and four rebounds and freshman guard Rocket Watts (Detroit, Mich./SPIRE Academy [Ohio]) added 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Records
Michigan State,winners of nine of its last 10 games, improves to 14-4 overall and 6-1, while Wisconsin falls to 11-7 overall and 4-3 in league play.
Summary
- MSU saw a 19-point lead (39-20) shrink to six points, 39-33, before going on a 25-6 run over a span of 7:03 and taking a 64-39 lead on a dunk from Brown with 7:44 to play.
- The Spartans had led by 15 points, 35-20, at the break and baskets from Henry and Winston to open the final period gave MSU its biggest lead, 39-20, in the first minute.
- The Badgers, however, responded with a 13-0 run and pulled to within 39-33 after Nate Reuvers hit the third of his three 3-pointers during the run.
- A three-point play from freshman forward Malik Hall (Aurora, Ill./Sunrise Christian Acadmey [Kan.]) triggered an 8-0 lead and MSU took a 47-33 ead on a jumper from Henry at the 12:33 mark, triggering its run.
- Michigan State jumped out to a 35-20 lead at the break, with Brown scoring 11 points to lead the way.
- A 3-pointer from Brown at the 11:08 mark gave the Spartans a 15-5 lead and another with 8:46 play made it 21-9.
- Tillman's dunk with 1:33 to play, off a feed from freshman guard Rocket Watts (Detroit, Mich./SPIRE Academy) and a layup from Henry with six seconds left gave MSU a 35-20 lead at the break.
- The Spartans handed out 20 assists on 27 field goals (74.1 percent).
- MSU had a 41-32 advantage on the boards.
- Michigan State scored 19 points off the fast break.
- MSU jumped out to a 15-point halftime lead, 35-20, after shooting 53.8 percent from the floor in the first half (14-of-26).
- Michigan State's record against Wisconsin improved to 83-64 all-time.
- The Spartans are 50-14 against the Badgers at home, including a 22-4 record at the Breslin Center.
- MSU has won the last eight meetings between the teams.
- Senior guard Cassius Winston handed out four assists, giving him 817 for his career and breaking the all-time record of 816, previously held by Mateen Cleaves.
- In the process, Winston also became the Big Ten Conference's all-time leader in assists.
- Winston also scored six points and he now has 1,718 points in his career. He passed Mike Robinson (1971-74) for 10th place all-time on the MSU scoring list and is tied with Paul Davis (2002-06) for ninth place.
- He needs 60 points to pass Terry Furlow (1972-76) for eighth place on the all-time list.
- Junior forward Xavier Tillman scored 15 points and had nine rebounds to lead the Spartans.
- He scored in double figures for the 13th time this season and for the 33rd time in his career.
- Aaron Henry scored 13 points, his ninth game in double figures this year and the 13th time in his career.
- Gabe Brown scored in double figures (13 points) for the fifth time this year and the seventh time in his career.
- Freshman guard Rocket Watts scored 11 points, his fourth game in double figures this year.
- The Spartans allowed just 55 points, the seventh time this season holding an opponent below 60 points.
- MSU held Wisconsin to just 35.6 percent shooting from the floor, the 10th time this season holding an opponent below 40 percent.
- It was the fourth time holding a Big Ten opponent below 40 percent.
- The Spartans handed out 20 assists, the 10th time with at least 20 assists this season.
Michigan State hits the road next week for a pair of games, starting on Thursday, Jan. 23 when the team visits Indiana.
Team Stats
Wisc
MSU
FG%
.356
.466
3FG%
.211
.375
FT%
.818
.700
RB
32
41
TO
9
12
STL
5
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
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