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Minnesota at Michigan State

No. 13 Spartans start fast, bury No. 19 Golden Gophers
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EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Tom Izzo didn't know his Michigan State team would hit on all cylinders. Minnesota didn't know what hit it.

COMMENTARY
If Izzo's Spartans can get fully healthy, watch out
by Gary Parrish
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Durrell Summers opened the game with two 3-pointers and finished with 21 points as the 13th-ranked Spartans beat the 19th-ranked Golden Gophers 76-47 on Wednesday night to snap a two-game home losing streak.

"It felt good to play 40 minutes, not 20 or 15," Izzo said after the Spartans took a 1½-game lead in the Big Ten. "We beat a very good team that didn't play very well tonight."

The Spartans (18-4, 8-2) held the Golden Gophers (18-4, 6-4) to 17.4 percent shooting in taking a 42-16 halftime lead.

"Tonight, certainly hats off to Michigan State," Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. "It proved why it's one of the best teams, if not the best, in this league."

Summers had 17 points in the first half on 7-for-8 shooting from the field, including three 3-pointers and some impressive dunks as his team had 12 assists on its first 16 field goals.

"I was excited, but I kept trying to do more," Summers said. "I think I got a little more excited because I was playing a little defense."

Chris Allen, who had scored in single digits in seven of his previous eight games, had 13 points and Kalin Lucas added 10 for Michigan State, which had lost to Northwestern and Penn State in the Breslin Center, where it had won 28 straight. It was the first time the Spartans had lost to the Wildcats and Nittany Lions in the same season.

"It's a little different from the last time I was here," Izzo said of the defeat last Sunday. "I told Tubby that was the best half we've played all year."

Devoe Joseph had 11 points for Minnesota, while Lawrence Westbrook, the Gophers' top scorer, finished with six points, nearly eight below his average, thanks to Travis Walton's snug defense.

"Travis set the tone with his defense," Izzo said. "And Kalin got the ball to the right guys, especially Durrell."

Michigan State led 13-1 before Minnesota had a field goal. It was 54-19 early in the second half before the Gophers got their bearings. But they still shot only 28.8 percent for the game while Michigan State was at 51 percent.

The Spartans came in leading the league by 8.1 rebounds per game, averaging 13.6 more boards that their opponents. That trend held up with a 42-26 edge against the Gophers.

"When you have the type of shooting we had, it makes for a long, long night," Smith said. "They just outworked us and got every rebound and every loose ball."

It was Michigan State's biggest margin of victory in Big Ten play, despite posting four of its five road victories by double digits. Minnesota's three previous losses were by a combined 29 points, the same margin as this game.

"The players were a little quiet," Izzo said. "But sometimes the quiet before the storm is good. The players responded. And the crowd responded."

The Spartans responded without No. 2 scorer Raymar Morgan, who wore a suit and tie on the bench while recovering from walking pneumonia.

Copyright 2012 by STATS LLC and The Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and The Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
 
 
Chris Allen gets fancy in the first half to help Michigan State build a 42-16 halftime lead.  (AP)
Chris Allen gets fancy in the first half to help Michigan State build a 42-16 halftime lead. (AP)

 
Scoreboard
Minnesota #19 (18-4)163147
Michigan State #13 (18-4) «423476
MN:Devoe Joseph 11 Pts
MN:Colton Iverson 5 Reb
MN:Al Nolen 2 Ast
MIST:D. Summers 21 Pts
MIST:G. Suton 7 Reb
MIST:T. Walton 5 Ast
 

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PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Michigan StateMinnesota
MIST
D. Summers
MN
D. Joseph
PtsRebsAstPtsRebsAst
21101101
Minnesota Golden Gophers
R. Sampson III, F-C310-42-23112
A. Nolen, G220-64-40234
L. Westbrook, G202-71-21016
C. Iverson, F-C192-40-35224
D. Johnson, F161-51-22033
D. Joseph, G245-80-001211
B. Hoffarber, G223-50-01007
P. Carter, F191-45-62037
D. Bostick, G90-40-02010
J. Abu-Shamala, G-F80-10-01000
T. Busch, G-F70-01-23011
J. Williams, C31-40-01002
K. Payton, GDid Not Play
Totals 15-5214-212161747
 28.8%66.7% 
Michigan State Spartans
K. Lucas, G284-141-124010
T. Walton, G272-32-34516
D. Summers, G218-102-210221
G. Suton, C193-40-07226
D. Roe, F192-42-47236
C. Allen, G184-83-500113
K. Lucious, G152-40-01325
I. Ibok, C140-00-04020
M. Gray, F131-31-25033
D. Green, F110-12-24212
A. Thornton, G70-02-21012
T. Herzog, C40-10-01000
M. Kebler, G20-02-21102
J. Crandell, F20-00-00000
I. Dahlman, GDid Not Play
R. Morgan, FDid Not Play
Totals 26-5217-2338191776
 50.0%73.9% 
Big Ten
TeamConf. W-LTot. W-L
Ohio St.13-531-8
Michigan St.13-529-8
Michigan13-524-10
Wisconsin12-626-10
Indiana11-727-9
Purdue10-822-13
Northwestern8-1019-14
Iowa8-1018-17
Minnesota6-1223-15
Illinois6-1217-15
Nebraska4-1412-18
Penn St.4-1412-20
 
Other games
W Virg 61 Final
Syracuse 74
Wake 52 Final
Miami-FL 79
NOVA 94 Final
PROV 91
DUKE 47 Final
CLEM 74
Tx A&M 71 Final
Oklahoma 77
Memphis 79 Final
SMU 66
Missouri 69 Final
Texas 65
USC 60 Final
UCLA 76