Kristin Mackley Executive Assistant to Athletic Director | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Kristin Mackley Executive Assistant to Athletic Director | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Senior guard Jaden Akins led Michigan State to a commanding victory over Washington with 20 points, as the Spartans secured an 88-54 win in a Big Ten Conference men's basketball game. The match took place at the Breslin Center on Thursday night.
Michigan State's triumph marked their widest margin of victory in a Big Ten game since defeating Penn State 86-49 back in February 2008. "Akins scored 11 of his 20 points in the first half," contributing significantly to the Spartans' impressive halftime lead of 42-13.
The team saw four players scoring in double figures. Redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. added 12 points and tied his career-high with ten assists. Freshman guard Jase Richardson contributed with twelve points and five steals, while junior guard Tre Holloman finished with eleven points and six assists.
With this win, Michigan State extended their winning streak to eight games, improving their record to 13-2 overall and maintaining a perfect conference record at 4-0. Meanwhile, Washington fell to a record of 10-6 overall and is now at 1-4 within the league.
In terms of gameplay, Michigan State's defense was pivotal as they held Washington to just five field goals during the first half. A notable moment occurred when sophomore forward Coen Carr completed a fast-break dunk during a significant scoring run for MSU.
"Free throws from junior center Carson Cooper pushed MSU's lead past twenty points (29-8) with 5:13 left in the first half," showcasing their dominance early on. The second half saw Michigan State extend their lead further, reaching its peak at forty-one points following a layup by Richardson.
Key statistics from the game include Michigan State connecting on fifty-two percent of its field goals and achieving an impressive ninety-four percent success rate from free throws. Additionally, they outperformed Washington significantly in fast break points with a twenty-eight-to-two advantage.
Looking ahead, Michigan State will face Northwestern on Sunday, January 12th. The game is scheduled for noon and will be broadcast live on FS1.
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