Three in Double Figures as No. 12 Michigan State Beats Oregon, 74-70

PORTLAND, Ore. – No. 12 Michigan State hit six free throws in the final 37 seconds and three players scored in double figures as the Spartans hung on for a 74-70 win over Oregon in the second round of the Phil Knight Invitational at Veterans Memorial Coliseum Friday night.

Graduate forward Joey Hauser led the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season, while senior guard Tyson Walker had 18 points and eight assists and sophomore guard Pierre Brooks scored a career-high 16 points, while adding three rebounds and three assists.
Records
Michigan State improves to 4-2 overall, while Oregon falls to 2-4.
Recap

The Spartans led by three points, 33-30, at the break, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Will Richardson to open the second half gave Oregon the early lead.
Over the ensuing 10 minutes there would be three ties and nine lead changes, the last when Brooks hit a 3-pointer to give MSU the lead for good, 53-52, with 8:21 to play.
That shot triggered an 8-0 burst as MSU took a 58-52 lead with 6:36 left on a trey and a jumper from Walker, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half.
Michigan State twice took a 7-point lead, first on a layup from A.J. Hoggard (64-57, 4:05) and then on free throws from the junior guard (68-61) with 1:28 to play.
Oregon quickly cut the lead to one point, 68-67, on a 3-pointer from Richardson and a three-point play from Rivaldo Soares with 53 seconds left.
The Spartans hit six free throws in the final 37 seconds, two apiece from Hoggard, junior forward Mady Sissoko and Walker, to seal the win.
Michigan State trailed by five points (42-37) at the break, but Alabama used a 15-3 run to take an 18-point lead, 67-49, on a 3-pointer from Nimari Burnett with 9:17 to play in the game.
The Spartans had taken an early lead after shots from Hauser and Brook to give MSU a 5-0 lead, but Oregon pulled ahead and took its biggest lead at eight points (17-11) on a layup from N'Faly Dante with 10:55 to play.
The lead was still eight points, 25-17, when the Spartans caught fire in the final four minutes of the half, using a 16-2 run, capped by a 3-point from Hauser with :26 seconds left to take a 33-27 lead.
A basket from Oregon cut the MSU lead to 33-30 at the break.

Key Stat

The Spartans shot 44.3 percent from the floor (27-of-61), but hit 48.0 percent in the second half (14-of-29).
Michigan State took only 12 free throws (91.7 percent, 11-of-12), and hit all eight in the second half, including six in the final 37 seconds.
The Spartans handed out 20 assists on 27 made field goals.
Hauser and Walker combined for 24 points in the second half, connecting on 9-of-15 shots from the floor (60.0 percent).

Notes

The all-time series with Oregon is now tied at two wins apiece.
Head Coach Tom Izzo won his 670th career game.
Graduate forward Joey Hauser scored 18 points, his fourth game in double figures this year and the 26th time in his career.
This was his second double-double of the season and the eighth of his career.
Senior guard Tyson Walker scored in double figures for the fifth-straight game.
Walker has scored in double figures five times this season and 50 times in his career.
Sophomore guard Pierre Brooks set a career-high with 15 points, his second game in double figures this year and the second of his career.

Up Next
Michigan State will play Portland on Sunday, Nov. 27 in the final round of the Phil Knight Invitational. Time and television will be announced on Saturday, Nov. 26.