Field Level Media
Jan 4, 2018
Nick Ward had 16 points and five rebounds and No. 1 Michigan State made 16 3-pointers in a 91-61 rout of Maryland at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. on Thursday.
Miles Bridges supplied 15 points, six rebounds and seven assists, while freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. scored all 15 of his points from long range. Cassius Winston contributed 10 points and eight assists for the Spartans (15-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten), who have won 14 straight, all by double digits.
Anthony Cowan's 26 points paced the Terrapins (13-4, 2-2). who saw their seven-game winning streak snapped. Kevin Huerter tossed in 16 points.
Michigan State shot 57.1 percent from the field (32 of 56) and the same percentage from long range (16 for 28). The Spartans recorded 30 assists on those 32 baskets.
Facing the nation's leader in field-goal percentage defense, Maryland shot 37.7 percent (20 of 53). The Terrapins made just seven of 25 attempts in the second half.
"The first half was kind of impressive if you like offense," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said in the postgame TV interview. "If you like defense, like I do, I liked the second half better."
The Spartans buried 10 of 16 attempts from long range to grab a 44-32 lead at the break. Six different players made at least one while Winston and Bridges combined for 10 assists.
Michigan State broke a 29-all tie with 15 unanswered points. Ward made a short jumper to get it started. Matt McQuaid hit two 3-pointers during that spurt and Xavier Tillman followed with two baskets. Lourawls Nairn Jr. finished it off with the Spartans' final long-distance bucket of the half.
Huerter led the Terrapins with 14 first-half points.
The Spartans held a double-digit advantage throughout the second half. Up 46-36, they reeled off seven unanswered points. Jackson began it with his third 3-pointer. Winston made a layup and Ward knocked down a jumper to make it a 17-point spread.
Bridges nudged the lead to 20, 61-41, with two free throws. Winston's 3-pointer with 5:06 left gave the Spartans a 30-point lead, 82-52.
--Field Level Media