Morgan's 29 points boost Spartans past Green Bay • NO. 7 MICHIGAN STATE 93, WIS.-GREEN BAY 75: Raymar Morgan scored 24 points to help the Spartans beat the Phoenix on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich., in their highest-scoring game in the past two seasons.
Big Ten: Morgan's 29 points boost Spartans past Green Bay
December 30, 2007 at 4:52AM
Freshman Kalin Lucas had 17 points off the bench and All-American Drew Neitzel added 16 for the Spartans (12-1), who tied the school's 2000-01 Final Four team for the fastest start in Tom Izzo's 13 years as coach.
The Spartans' impressed Izzo with their passing, which led to 31 assists, but the coach wasn't happy with their defense.
"Instead of me talking today, just read the stats," Izzo said. "That says it all. I was incredibly impressed with our unselfishness. And we have so much work to do defensively to live up to any kind of billing we've received, it's a joke."
Spartans guard Travis Walton had 11 assists, no turnovers and three steals as the Spartans won their ninth consecutive game and wound up perfect in December for the third consecutive year.
"That's nice, but we didn't play defense," Walton said after being singled out as the only Michigan State player who did. "We can't go into conference play and think we'll score 90 and give up 70. That's unacceptable."
Michigan State will open Big Ten play next Saturday night at home against Minnesota.
Mike Schachtner scored 20 points and Ryan Tillema 17 for the Phoenix (7-5).
• OHIO STATE 92, MARYLAND-BALTIMORE COUNTY 83: Jamar Butler scored 22 points and had a career-best 12 assists and Evan Turner added 17 points as the Buckeyes (9-3) beat the visiting Retrievers, who made a school-record 17 three-pointers. The Buckeyes led 75-58 with 7:15 to play, but two three-pointers by Ray Barbosa got the Retrievers within 79-72. Ohio State made six consecutive free throws near the finish to clinch the victory. The Buckeyes won their fifth in a row and got five three-pointers from Jon Diebler, 13 points by Hunter and 12 points and 12 rebounds from Kosta Koufos.
• PURDUE 59, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 44: Scott Martin scored 13 points to help the Boilermakers (9-4) rally for the victory against the Golden Panthers at West Lafayette, Ind., in their final nonconference game. Tarrance Crump scored 12 points and E'Twaun Moore added 10 for the Boilermakers. Purdue (9-4) shot just 28 percent, but the Boilermakers forced 25 turnovers and outrebounded the Golden Panthers 41-30. Kansas transfer Alex Galindo, who led Florida International with 21 points, couldn't prevent the Golden Panthers' fifth consecutive loss.
• NO. 13 INDIANA 97, CHICAGO STATE 59: Eric Gordon scored 22 points and D.J. White had 21 points and a career-high 15 rebounds as the Hoosiers (11-1) whipped the Cougars (4-12) in Bloomington, Ind., for their seventh consecutive victory. Chicago State (4-12) was led by David Holston's 25 points.
•IOWA 57, SE LOUISIANA 50: Tony Freeman and Cyrus Tate came off the bench to score 15 and 10 points, respectively, as the Hawkeyes outscored the Lions 39-25 in the second half to win in Iowa City. Freeman also had seven rebounds and four assists. Justin Johnson also scored 10 points for Iowa (7-6). Kevyn Green scored 13 points for Southeastern Louisiana (7-5).
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Minnesota, ranked fourth, lost 9-3 to No. 2 Michigan State, giving up four goals in each of the last two periods.
