Jaden Akins had 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists to lead Michigan State to an 86-72 win over Bowling Green in East Lansing, Mich., on Saturday.
Carson Cooper and Frankie Fidler each scored 12 points, Tre Holloman and Coen Carr scored 11 apiece, and Jaxon Kohler and Jeremy Fears Jr. each added 10 for the Spartans (3-1).
Marcus Johnson scored a game-high 23 points on 9-of-24 shooting, Javontae Campbell had 14 points and Youssef Khayet added 13 to lead the Falcons (1-3).
Bowling Green hung tough most of the way, leading 72-68 lead with 7:11 remaining before Michigan State took charge. The Spartans ended the game on an 18-0 run.
Carr scored five straight points early in the run as the Spartans moved ahead 75-72 with 4:29 left. Akins hit a 3-pointer with 3:46 remaining, and Fears added a layup with 2:08 to go that put Michigan State up 80-72.
Michigan State held a 42-28 rebounding advantage and shot 28 of 32 from the free-throw line, which helped negate a 4-of-20 performance from 3-point range.
Trailing by two in the second half, Bowling Green went on a 10-0 run to take a 64-56 lead with 11:53 remaining in the game after a 3-pointer by Sam Towns and a layup by Jamai Felt.
Michigan State responded with a 10-0 run to grab a 66-64 lead with 9:13 left.
Bowling Green got off to a strong start, taking a 15-6 lead in the first four minutes and using an 8-2 run to take a 32-22 lead with 8:46 left until halftime.
The Falcons led by as many as 12 in the first half at 40-28 before Michigan State went on a 15-3 run over the final 4:07 of the half to tie the game at 43-43.
–Field Level Media
