Michigan State basketball defeats Oregon, 74-70: Game thread replay
No. 15 Michigan State Spartans (3-2) vs. Oregon Ducks (2-3)
When: 12 a.m. Saturday.
Where: Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.
TV: ESPN2.
Radio: WJR-AM 760 (Spartans' radio affiliates).
Line: Spartans by 2½.
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Game notes: Michigan State lost its last game and one of its best players recently, falling to Alabama less than 36 hours ago and learning that Malik Hall will be out three weeks. Tyson Walker had 21 points and A.J. Hoggard had 19 but no other Spartans scored more than 10. Bama was able to score with relative ease, shooting 34.8% from 3-point range, 44.4% from the field and totaling 19 assists.
Oregon was clobbered, 83-59, by UConn on Thursday after losing to Houston, 66-56, at home Sunday. The Ducks may be more shorthanded than the Spartans with just seven scholarship players dressed for the loss to the Huskies. Kel'el Ware a 7-foot freshman, had 18 points vs. Connecticut and 16 points earlier this season but sandwiched those around a two-point effort in the loss to Houston. N'Faly Dante, a 6-11 senior, has been a bit more consistent with 15 points or more in four of five games so far. Don't forget about 7-foot sophomore Nate Bittle who is averaging seven points and five rebounds in 20 minutes per game; Mady Sissoko and Co. will have their hands full in this Phil Knight Invitational consolation game.
Next up for MSU is an ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup at Notre Dame, which began the year 5-0 in five games vs. non-Power Five schools before facing St. Bonaventure on Friday in New York. Oregon opens Pac-12 play against Washington State (then UCLA) before a few more nonconference games.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball defeats Oregon, 74-70: Game thread replay
