Jaden Aikins converted on an and-one layup with 29 seconds left for his 16th point as Michigan State beat Penn State (12-6, 2-5) 90-85 for the Nittany Lions’ fourth straight loss.
Eight players scored seven or more points for Michigan State (15-2, 6-0), as Akins (16 points) and Frankie Fidler (18 points) combined for 34 points in the win.
Ace Baldwin Jr. made 11-of-12 free throws for a 20-point, nine-assist outing in his return. D’Marco Dunn scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-13 from the field.
Key First-Half Moment: Michigan State grabbed an 11-point lead by the 8:17 mark on the back of a perfect 10-for-10 effort from the charity stripe. Penn State used a 9-2 run to pull within four (33-29), but MSU regained a double-digit lead, outscoring PSU 13-7 (7-for-10 over the final 6:47) by halftime. The Spartans had 19 points off nine forced turnovers and had 12 second-chance points off six offensive rebounds.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Key Second-Half Moment: Penn State stayed competitive throughout the half, but Akins (11 second-half points) and Fidler (14 second-half points) kept the Nittany Lions at bay.
Deciding Factor: Michigan State’s depth shined throughout the game as they won the bench battle 45-30. This production showed up on the offensive glass, as the Spartans had 15 offensive rebounds for 23 second-chance points.
Penn State’s next game will be on Monday at home against Rutgers. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
