Coen Carr scored a career-high 22 points to lead No. 9 Michigan State to a 79-70 win over Oakland in a game played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday.
Carr added seven rebounds, Jaxon Kohler had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Carson Cooper scored 15 points for Michigan State (11-1).
The Spartans shot just 6 of 22 from 3-point range, but went 22 of 39 on 2-point shots and 17 of 23 from the free-throw line.
Tuburu Naivalurua scored 18 points, Ziare Wells had 17 points, and Michael Houge and Brody Robinson each added 13 points in defeat for Oakland (6-7).
The Golden Grizzlies went 10 of 22 from 3-point range and 12 of 13 from the free-throw line.
Michigan State held a 71-62 lead with 3:33 remaining, but Oakland cut its deficit to 71-65 after a 3-pointer by Wells.
The Spartans gained some separation after that, scoring five straight and taking a 76-65 lead with 1:18 remaining after a free throw by Carr, a jumper by Carr and two free throws by Kohler.
Brett White hit a 3-pointer for Oakland to make it a 76-68 game, but Carr essentially wrapped it up with 35.4 seconds on a putback layup and subsequent free throw to make it 79-68 Spartans.
Leading 39-36 at halftime, Michigan State built a 53-41 lead with 15:16 remaining in the game after two free throws by Cooper.
Oakland stayed in the game however, cutting the Michigan State lead to six at 60-54 with 8:32 remaining after a layup by Naivalurua.
Oakland got off to a good start, taking a 16-9 lead 6:27 into the game after a layup by Naivalurua.
Michigan State responded, going on an 11-2 run to take a 25-20 lead with 6:55 go until halftime.
Oakland had an answer, surging to a 32-30 lead with 2:00 left in the first half after a basket by Houge.
There were eight lead changes and seven ties in the first half.
–Field Level Media
