Field Level Media
Dec 4, 2021
Max Christie led a balanced effort with 14 points and No. 22 Michigan State downed Toledo 81-68 in East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday.
Gabe Brown had 12 points, Tyson Walker supplied 11 points and six assists, and A.J. Hoggard and Marcus Bingham Jr. contributed 10 points apiece for the Spartans.
Ryan Rollins led the Rockets with 21 points. Setric Millner Jr. supplied 17 points and six rebounds, and RayJ Dennis had 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Michigan State had a 29-6 advantage in bench points and held Toledo to 4-for-24 shooting on 3-point tries.
Michigan State (7-2), which had a 33-5 run in the first half, was making its final tuneup before playing its first Big Ten game next week. Toledo (6-2) faced a ranked opponent for the first time this season.
Brown scored 10 first-half points as the Spartans raced to a 43-23 halftime lead. The Rockets were held to 26.7 percent shooting during the half.
Brown scored the Spartans' first seven points but they trailed 10-7 in the early going. Michigan State then went on a 17-2 run, sparked by Hoggard. Bingham had a three-point play during that span and Joey Hauser drained a 3-pointer.
Hoggard supplied two layups, a free throw and two steals to fuel the Spartans' transition game.
After Toledo hit a 3-pointer, the Spartans scored the next 16 points to extend their lead to 25 at 40-15. Christie, Brown, Malik Hall and Walker all drained a 3-pointer in the outburst and Hoggard added a layup.
Toledo cut Michigan State's lead to 14, 49-35, five minutes into the second half on a Rollins dunk. Hoggard answered with a three-point play.
The Rockets used a 7-0 spurt with pull within nine, 64-55, with 6:18 remaining. Millner had two of those baskets. Michigan State then scored the next six points.
--Field Level Media