EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -Raymar Morgan scored 24 points to help Michigan State beat Green Bay 93-75 Saturday in its highest-scoring game in the last two seasons.
Freshman Kalin Lucas had 17 points off the bench and All-American Drew Neitzel added 16 for the No. 7 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 most important player for Michigan State could have been guard Travis Walton, who had 11 of Michigan State’s 31 assists, zero turnovers and three steals. The Spartans won their ninth straight game and wound up perfect in December for the third straight year.
Goran Suton and Durrell Summers each had 10 points each for the Spartans, who shot 55.2 percent from the field and had better than a 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Mike Schachtner scored 20 points and Ryan Tillema 17 for Phoenix (7-5), which trailed 53-36 at halftime and was down by 24 late in the game.
Morgan was 9-for-16 from the field, grabbed eight rebounds and joined Marquise Gray in a dunking display that delighted a sellout crowd.
Lucas, who had his coming-out party with 18 points last Saturday against Texas, was spectacular again with 4-for-5 3-point shooting, nine assists and no turnovers.
Neitzel was 4-for-10 beyond the arc as Michigan State finished 9-for-19 from long range. But Green Bay was just as good from the perimeter, shooting 8-for-16.
The Phoenix did a respectable job on the boards and were outrebounded just 35-30. But a team that has lost at Ohio State, Massachusetts and Wisconsin couldn’t stop the Spartans from scoring.
Michigan State will open Big Ten play next Saturday night against visiting Minnesota and will be home for three of its first four conference games.
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