With a showdown at Ohio State looming on Saturday, the Michigan St. Spartans took care of business Wednesday night, easily dispatching the Penn St. Nittany Lions, 77-57.
The win put MSU at 19-5 overall and 8-3 in the Big Ten, just one game back of No. 3 Ohio State, which is 21-3 and 9-2.
Michigan State took control early, jumping out to a 33-19 halftime lead and never looking back. Draymond Green dispelled any notions that a Jan. 31 knee injury would be a lingering problem. Green scored a game-high 23 points, grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds and played a team-high 36 minutes (no other Spartan played more than 25 minutes).
Adreian Payne and Branden Dawson each chipped in 12 for the Spartans.
Penn State was led by Tim Frazier’s 19 points; Jermaine Marshall added 12. The loss dropped Penn State to 10-15 and a conference-worst 2-10.
Michigan State and Ohio State have two games remaining, and those contests will likely decide the Big Ten champ. OSU, which is undefeated at home this season, looked like it was sleepwalking through much of its 87-84 win over 15-9 Purdue in Columbus on Tuesday.
Chances are the Buckeyes won’t be sleepwalking again on Saturday.
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