Field Level Media
Jan 2, 2021
Aaron Henry scored a career-high 27 points and Michigan State snapped a three-game losing streak with an 84-77 win over Nebraska in their Big Ten matchup in Lincoln on Saturday.
Josh Langford supplied 15 points for No. 17 Michigan State (7-3, 1-3), which had lost its first three Big Ten games for the first time since the 2001-02 season. Gabe Brown chipped in 10 points.
Teddy Allen topped Nebraska (4-7, 0-4) with 23 points and six rebounds. Trey McGowens had 20 points and Kobe Webster tossed in 10 but the Cornhuskers, who committed 18 turnovers, remained winless in the conference.
Henry carried the Spartans to a 40-33 halftime lead. He scored 17 points, including a 3-pointer after a steal that began an 8-0 run to give Michigan State a 29-23 lead.
They led the remainder of the game. The Cornhuskers hurt themselves in the opening half with 11 turnovers, but McGowens kept them close with 15 points.
Michigan State began the second half on a 12-2 run to stretch its lead to 17 points.
A.J. Hoggard got it started with a layup off a Nebraska turnover and also made a pullup jumper during that span. Langford hit a 3-pointer and Henry completed it with another long shot.
After Nebraska cut its deficit to 10, Henry responded with a three-point play with 12:59 remaining.
The Cornhuskers soon went on an 8-0 run, with Allen making two 3-pointers and assisting on a Webster layup. That sliced the Spartans' lead to 64-58.
Henry halted that run with a jump shot. But Allen's 3-pointer from the left wing with 7:32 left cut Michigan State's advantage to five.
The Spartans doubled that lead with five unanswered points, including a Thomas Kithier putback dunk after a Cornhuskers giveaway.
Langford's pullup jumper with 3:35 left made it 75-64.
Nebraska pulled within five on several occasions in the final two minutes, but a Langford putback and two Rocket Watts free throws helped to prevent the Cornhuskers from getting any closer.
--Field Level Media