Michigan State and Oregon, two teams struggling with injury issues that entered the game shorthanded, squared off at the Phil Knight Invitational on Friday night.
Behind a solid effort from the MSU defense and a breakout performance from Pierre Brooks, the Spartans earned a tough 74-70 win over the Ducks.
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Michigan State got off to a quick start offensively, scoring 9 points in the first five minutes of the game, looking set to take on Oregon’s 2-3 zone. This attacking success would quickly change and the Spartans would be limited to just 10 points over the next 11 minutes.
Trailing 27-19 with just over four minutes left in the half, the Spartans managed to put together a 14-0 run to capture all the momentum of the game. Oregon hit a three at the buzzer, but the Spartans were leading 33-30 before halftime.
The second half saw the two teams trade blows left and right, keeping the game between one score for the majority of the half.
An 8-0 run with 6:30 to go gave the Spartans a 58-52 lead, a lead they wouldn’t give up.
Late game struggles presented themselves again when a 64-57 lead was reduced to 68-67, but 6 free throws by AJ Hoggard, Mady Sissoko and Tyson Walker preserved a 74-70 victory for MSU.
Joey Hauser led the way for Michigan State, scoring 18 points and adding 10 rebounds for a double-double. Tyson Walker added 18 points and 8 assists, while Pierre Brooks had a breakthrough 15 points.
The Spartans are back in action on Sunday against Portland in the Phil Knight Invitational’s fifth-place game.
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