Tyson Walker scored 14 points to lead Michigan State to a 79-62 home win over Oakland on Monday.
A.J. Hoggard had 11 points and seven assists and Jaden Akins added 11 points for the Spartans (6-5), who dished out 23 assists.
Trey Townsend scored a game-high 17 points, Rocket Watts scored 16 and Blake Lampman added 12 for Oakland (6-6).
Michigan State shot 49.2 percent from the field overall (29 of 59) and 42.9 percent from 3-point range (9 of 21), while Oakland finished at 36.5 percent from the field overall (23 of 63) and 31 percent from 3-point range (9 of 29).
Each team committed only eight turnovers, but Michigan State’s bench outscored Oakland’s by a 31-5 margin.
Leading 39-30 with 16:19 remaining, Michigan State distanced itself, going on a 12-1 run over the next 3:41 to take a 51-31 lead with 12:38 left following a runner in the lane by Jeremy Fears.
The lead only grew from there, with the Spartans going up 65-42 with 8:04 to go after a dunk by Coen Carr.
Hoggard then hit a 3-pointer with 7:17 remaining to give Michigan State its biggest lead of the game at 70-43.
The Golden Grizzlies managed to trim Michigan State’s lead to 73-52 with 4:18 left, but it was too late.
Michigan State jumped out to an early 19-11 lead, but Oakland answered with an 8-2 run to lower its deficit to 21-19 with 4:32 remaining in the first half.
The Spartans started to separate themselves from there, going on a 9-0 run to grab a 30-19 lead with 1:07 remaining until halftime.
Oakland scored the final three points of the half to cut Michigan State’s lead to 30-22 at the break.
–Field Level Media