Michigan State shakes off slow start to squash Cornell

EAST LANSING — A slow commencement is conscionable astir nan past point Michigan State would’ve wanted coming retired of a nine-day spread since nan Spartans’ last crippled against Oakland.

That’s nan measurement Monday night’s nonconference finale against Cornell was looking, pinch MSU trailing for complete 15 minutes of nan first half and appearing lax astatine times pinch a high-energy squad quiet for an upset successful beforehand of them.

But halftime was arsenic acold arsenic nan threat to Michigan State’s (12-1) basking commencement to nan play sewage arsenic nan Spartans came retired firing successful nan 2nd half and surged to a 114-97 win, nan astir points successful 1 crippled by nan programme since scoring 118 against Alcorn State successful 2008.

Guard Jeremy Fears Jr. led nan measurement — aft a unsmooth crippled his past clip retired — scoring a career-high 21 points pinch 11 assists. Forward Coen Carr added 19 points, six rebounds and 3 assists arsenic 1 of nan driving forces to MSU’s second-half dominance. Trey Fort added 14 points disconnected nan bench.

Cornell’s trio of Cooper Noard (19), Jake Fiegen (15) and Adam Hinton (15) scored complete 50% of nan team’s points but couldn’t support gait aft a competitory start.

Things were uneasy early connected astatine nan Breslin Center arsenic Cornell (6-6) opened scoring and responded to a rim-rocking Carr dunk by seeing Noard drain nan first of 15 three-pointers from Big Red.

One of nan apical teams successful nan federation from beyond nan arc, Cornell opened 3-of-4 from heavy and quickly tallied up a 15-4 lead against MSU connected its location court.

The cardinal quality to statesman was nan hustle and power from Cornell arsenic conscionable astir each affirmative possession from nan Spartans resulted successful a accelerated break correct down nan different extremity and an contiguous consequence from nan visitors.

Kur Teng came connected and served arsenic a spark for MSU aft 4 lackluster minutes, finishing pinch a speedy thrust to nan rim earlier cycling nan shot to an unfastened Fears for 3 connected nan pursuing possession.

As three-point occurrence started to slow down for Cornell, MSU made a tally down Fort and Fears, scoring 5 points a portion successful conscionable complete 90 seconds of crippled time.

Fort provided for Fears connected a trim to nan rim done postulation and he sunk a floater, earning an and-one opportunity to bring MSU wrong 2 points, nan closest it had been since nan opening minute.

It took a fewer much possessions for nan breakthrough arsenic Teng deed from heavy pinch nether six minutes successful nan half to springiness MSU its first lead of nan game, 37-35.

A driving decorativeness from Fears — capping a 15-point half — arsenic nan timepiece expired was each that separated nan teams arsenic nan Spartans were squeaking by 55-53 successful a high-scoring matchup.

Carr came retired pinch an unmatched power to unfastened nan 2nd half pinch an diversion layup successful modulation and 3 different trips to nan foul line. Fears had his ain awesome play retired connected nan accelerated break, juking a defender for an easy provender to nan basket.

From location it was disconnected to nan races for MSU, having gone up by 9 points conscionable a fewer minutes into nan period. The lead only continued to balloon arsenic nan Spartans went connected a 15-2 tally during nan nutrient of nan half arsenic Cornell’s power ran out.

The Spartans’ defense played a cardinal domiciled successful their surge arsenic they locked up Cornell’s threat from deep.

After Noard sank nan team’s first changeable of nan 2nd half, Big Red missed 15 consecutive threes. Shooting good successful garbage clip helped Cornell rebound to decorativeness 15-for-44, a 34.1% completion rate, which was still nan third-worst capacity from heavy by nan squad this season.

With a 20-point lead already successful manus pinch 10 minutes to go, nan Spartans had small problem putting distant Cornell and lighting up nan scoreboard, earning nan program’s first 12-1 commencement to a play since nan 2017-2018 season.

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• Michigan State’s Coen Carr turns a flick successful nan oculus into a profession high
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• See our favourite photos from Michigan State’s 79-70 triumph complete Oakland U

Jacob Richman is simply a sports newsman for MLive.com and covers pro and assemblage teams crossed Michigan. Before joining MLive, Jacob covered assemblage sports successful Texas astatine LoneStarLive.com pinch a attraction connected Texas A&M and...