EAST LANSING, MI — Michigan State got off to fast start offensively, making four of its first six shots and grabbing an early 13-6 lead. The Spartans would never relinquish it, riding point guard Cassius Winston to an 87-69 win.

Michigan played without leading scorer and junior Isaiah Livers, but got an early lift from sophomore and East Lansing native Brandon Johns. He scored five early points, including three on a three-point play after the Spartans had taken a 15-8 lead on guard Cassius Winston’s drive and finish.

Michigan’s defense, however, was leaky early and often. Winston’s midrange game was on — he scored nine of MSU’s first 17 points in only seven and a half minutes — and the Wolverines struggled from the floor on the other end. They missed their first six triples and nine of their first 15 shots, but they were still within 19-1 after redshirt junior big man Austin Davis’ put-back.

Davis’ up and under reverse on a post move made it 19-17, where it remained at the second TV timeout.

The Spartans rallied again. Winston continued to score, and it was 30-21 on a drive and finish by MSU’s Malik Hall, Michigan State’s biggest lead of the half. Senior Zavier Simpson missed at the rim for U-M, but his steal and a triple from freshman Franz Wagner cut the lead back to 30-24, a huge momentum stopper.

MSU continued to push the tempo. Winston finished inside, and a Zavier Tillman free throw pushed the lead back to nine points. U-M continued to struggle to shoot, making only 11 of their first 30 and one of eight triples. The Wolverines had nine more field goal attempts, but the Spartans has outscored them 10-3 at the line.

In addition, Wagner went to the bench with his third foul late in the first half. Winston immediately went to work on sophomore Adrien Nunez, taking him off the dribble for an easy finish.

U-M needed to keep it close going into the half, but MSU continued to shoot well. Davis scored inside, part of a seven-point first half, but the Spartans’ Marcus Bingham hit a rare triple to push the lead to 13. Michigan was in trouble, but Teske answered with a three-pointer of his own to push it back to 10.

The half ended 44-34 MSU.

Teske notched 11 points and Simpson eight to lead the Wolverines. Winston notched 16 points in 19 minutes for MSU.

SECOND HALF

The Wolverines opened the second half the way they finished the first, missing a number of open looks. Johns, however, picked it up with some aggressive offensive plays. He drove and finished with a short jumper, and then followed up with two free throws after being fouled on another drive.

U-M simply had no answer for Winston. He hit two long triples off the dribble, the first matched by Simpson on the other end. The second was followed by a Teske finish inside, but the Spartans still held an 11-point lead at the 14:34 mark.

Simpson had a chance to cut it to single digits, but he missed two free throws badly. Kyle Ahrens scored from the corner when the defense lost him, opening a 60-47 MSU lead.

Winston hit another crazy step back from the corner, and the Spartans got another Winston free throw after Howard was whistled for a technical foul arguing a call on the other end. The wheels were off the wagon, and it got worse when Teske was whistled for his fourth personal foul at 13:15.

Sophomore David DeJulius finally ended the run with a lay-up in transition, but it was 67-51 Spartans at the 11:38 mark.

U-M wouldn’t lay down. Wagner and DeJulius each hit a pair of free throws; after a stop, Wagner hit a triple to cut the MSU lead to nine.

It was eight after a Johns triple from the corner, and U-M was still in it with 6:54 remaining.

The Spartans, however, answered with the next four points to push it back to 12, forcing a Michigan timeout. Teske fouled out at 3:40 with the Spartans up 77-65, and it was all but over. MSU closed out an 87-69 win behind Winston's 32.

Teske scored 15 for the Wolverines, Simpson notched 14 on only 6-of-18 shooting, Johns finished with 12 and Wagner added 10 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

U-M fell to 1-2 in Big Ten play with Purdue up next at home Thursday.

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