Saturday, December 21
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
10-2,2-0Big Ten
86
vs
69
Florida Atlantic
7-6,0-0AAC
1
2
F
Fla. Atlantic
29
40
69
Michigan St.
42
44
86
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
Carr’s Career-High 17 Points Leads the Way as No. 20/19 Michigan State Beats Florida Atlantic, 86-69
12/21/2024 4:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Sophomore forward Coen Carr scored a career-high 17 points and had eight rebounds to lead four players in double figures as No. 20/19 Michigan State beat Florida Atlantic, 83-68, on Saturday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had 13 points and eight assists, senior guard Jaden Akins finished with 13 points and five rebounds, senior forward Frankie Fidler chipped in 10 points and junior forward Jaxon Kohler had 6 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Records
Michigan State improves to 10-2 overall, while Florida Atlantic falls to 7-6.
Recap
Michigan State takes a break for the Christmas holiday and returns back to the court to host in-state rival Western Michigan, coached by former Spartan great and assistant coach Dwayne Stephens, on Monday, Dec. 30 (3 p.m., BTN).
Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had 13 points and eight assists, senior guard Jaden Akins finished with 13 points and five rebounds, senior forward Frankie Fidler chipped in 10 points and junior forward Jaxon Kohler had 6 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Records
Michigan State improves to 10-2 overall, while Florida Atlantic falls to 7-6.
Recap
- Michigan State led by 13 points (42-29) at the break and had pushed the lead to 17 points once and 15 points three times but could not get more separation.
- Florida Atlantic's Tre Carroll cut the MSU lead to 53-42 with 11:26 left and then to 60-49 on a three-point play from Matas Vokietaitis with 8:49 left in the game.
- Leading 67-56, the Spartans used a 10-3 run, capped by the first career 3-pointer for Carr, and extended its lead to 18 points, 77-59, with 4:49 left to play.
- The Spartans took their biggest lead, 81-61, on a tip-in dunk from Carr with 3:14 left to play.
- Michigan State went into the half with a 42-29 lead, with Fears and Fiddler scoring 8 points apiece to lead the way as the team connected on 46.7 percent of its field goals (14-of-30).
- The Spartans took an early 8-3 lead on two baskets from Akins, followed by shots from Fears and junior center Carson Cooper, but FAU used a 7-0 run and took a 10-8 lead on a jumper from Tre Carroll at the 14:32 mark.
- The first half was back-and-forth with three ties and seven lead changes, Florida Atlantic holding a 20-19 edge on a dunk from Baba Miller with 8:12 to play.
- The Spartans tied the game at 20-all on a free throw from freshman guard Jase Richardson, triggering an 8-0 run featuring two dunks from sophomore forward Coen Carr and a conventional three-point play from senior center Szymon Zapala.
- MSU out-scored the Owls 23-9 over the final 7:16 of the first half, taking its biggest lead, 42-29, when Richardson fed Akins on a fast break layup with 58 seconds left.
- The Spartans shot 38.1 percent from 3-point land (8-of-21), including 50.0 percent in the second half (6-of-12).
- MSU shot 44.9 percent from the floor, including 46.7 percent in the first half (14-of-30) when they opened a 13-point lead.
- Michigan State out-rebounded FAU, 48-26, including 28-19 in the second half.
- The Spartans handed out 21 assists on 31 made field goals (67.7 percent).
- Michigan State received 43 points from its bench.
- The Spartans had a 27-17 advantage in fast break points.
- Michigan State leads the all-time series with Florida Atlantic, 2-0
- Head Coach Tom Izzo's career record improved to 717-297.
- This was the eighth time the team has scored at least 80 points (8-0).
- Michigan State is 9-0 when leading at the half this season.
- MSU held FAU below 50.0 percent shooting from the floor (39.7 percent), the 10th time this season an opponent was below 50.0 percent (9-2).
- The Spartans are 10-0 when outshooting their opponent (44.9% to 39.7%).
- Michigan State is 9-1 when controlling the battle of the boards.
- Michigan State hit 80.0 percent of its free throws (16-of-20), the eighth time this season connecting on at least 80 percent.
- The Spartans continue to get support from its bench, scoring 43 points, the 11th time in 12 games with at least 30 points and the sixth time this season with at least 40.
- MSU scored 27 points on the fast break, the fifth time this season with at least 25 points.
- Coen Carr set career bests in points (17) and rebounds (8).
- It was his fifth game in double figures this year and the sixth of his career.
- This was his second time leading the team in scoring this year.
- Xavier Booker scored a career-high 18 points, his fourth-straight game in double figures (six games career).
- This was the first time Booker led the team in scoring.
- Jaden Akins finished with 13 points, his ninth time in double figures this year and the 43rd of his career.
- Akins has now scored 941 points in his career at Michigan State.
- Jaxon Kohler had 6 points and 12 rebounds, his sixth game this season with at least 10 boards and the seventh of his career.
- Jeremy Fears Jr. tied his career-high with 13 points, while adding eight assists.
- It was his fourth game in double figures this year (fourth career).
- This was his fourth game this season with eighth assists and the ninth with at least five.
- Franke Fidler scored 10 points, his seventh game in double figures this year and the 82nd of his career.
Michigan State takes a break for the Christmas holiday and returns back to the court to host in-state rival Western Michigan, coached by former Spartan great and assistant coach Dwayne Stephens, on Monday, Dec. 30 (3 p.m., BTN).
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Team Stats
FAU
MSU
FG%
.397
.449
3FG%
.182
.381
FT%
.786
.800
RB
36
48
TO
9
10
STL
5
3
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Men's BasketballF
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C
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