EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After a 17-point win over a less-talented opponent, Michigan State knows it must play better next time out if it hopes to beat top-ranked Illinois.
But the No. 15 Spartans think they will be a better team in Tuesday's Big Ten showdown with the unbeaten Illini than they were in Saturday night's 92-75 win over Oakland (Mich.).
"It's a no-brainer that we've got to play better," Maurice Ager said after scoring 22 points and making three of Michigan State's nine 3-pointers. "That's the top-ranked team in the country we're playing. And we have some things we need to work on if we want to win that game."
Shannon Brown, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert each had 13 points for the Spartans (14-3), who have won 11 of their last 12 games and all 10 games this season at the Breslin Center, the site of Tuesday's matchup.
"Honestly, if we play this way Tuesday, I think we'll come out with a loss," Torbert said. "We didn't play as well as we need to on both ends of the floor. We've got to play better than this against Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. And I really think we will."
Cortney Scott, a Lansing native, had 19 points and Rawle Marshall added 16 for the Golden Grizzlies (5-13), who lost their eighth game against teams from bigger conferences, including an 85-54 defeat against Illinois.
"Tom (Izzo) might get mad at me for saying this," Oakland coach Greg Kampe said. "I live in Michigan, and I'm a Michigan person. But Illinois is the best team we've ever played in all my years of doing this, including your national champions and Final Four teams. Does that mean Michigan State wont beat them? No, I'll bet Michigan State beats them. But Illinois is the best we've ever played. They share the ball better than any team I've ever seen."
Izzo's team played without center Paul Davis, who rested his sprained left ankle as a precaution but should be fine to face the Illini.
"If we held him out, he could practice these next two days," Izzo said on the eve of his 50th birthday. "If we didn't hold him out, he would have to take tomorrow off. We can't afford that."
The Spartans led just 40-35 in the last minute of the first half but finished the period with a 3-pointer from Torbert and went on a 15-2 run to start the second half.
Oakland was only 14-for-28 from the foul line but kept the score respectable with 59.1 percent shooting from the field in the second half.
It was the first time Michigan State allowed more than 64 points since Dec. 4.
