MSU victory a 'baby step'

EAST LANSING - The recovery process began as many do, slowly and with plenty of rough moments.

Back in their home arena for the first time in three weeks and four days removed from a 35-point loss to No. 1 North Carolina, the Michigan State Spartans clawed their way to a 75-59 win over Bradley on Sunday.

No. 13 MSU (5-2), which hadn't even practiced at Breslin Center since a Nov. 16 win over Idaho, had more problems with turnovers, didn't shoot especially well and gave up lots of open looks to the Braves (4-3).

The Spartans trailed for much of the first half but dominated the boards in a more-aggressive second half, which helped awaken their fast break.

"It's gonna be a slow process of (where) we're trying to get and what we're trying to build to," MSU senior guard Travis Walton said, "but I feel like we took a baby, baby step."

Sophomore guard Chris Allen returned to the starting lineup and scored 19 points, 13 in the first half when MSU needed offensive help. Sophomore guard Kalin Lucas missed 12 of 15 shots but had 12 points, nine assists with just one turnover, and added six rebounds.

MSU also got nine points apiece from Walton - who played extensively at power forward against Bradley's small lineup - and Durrell Summers, while leading scorer Raymar Morgan had seven points and 10 rebounds.

Morgan played just 21 minutes thanks in part to foul trouble and in part to a hip bruise he suffered in the first half. He said after the game that he'll be fine.

After turning it over 22 times against the Tar Heels, MSU coughed it up 19 times Sunday. The Spartans shot just 41.7 percent from the floor, but they won 45-32 on the boards and held the Braves to 33.9 percent shooting.

With a narrow edge of 21-20 on the boards at halftime, MSU attacked the glass after the break and seemed to play with more purpose.

"It was just a matter of more effort," Morgan said.

"For whatever reason, they were content to play 20 minutes to be in the game," Bradley coach Jim Les said of his players. "We played like we were content. ...

"I just thought (MSU) made all the hustle plays. They got their hands on balls, they were quicker to the ball, and in the first half I thought that was us."

MSU also had a nice showing from the foul line - a major point of emphasis lately - making 16 of 20. Bradley got there more often but was just 15-of-26.

Theron Wilson scored 16 points to lead the Braves, who made a dismal 4-of-22 from 3-point range (18.2 percent). And the Spartans were yielding decent looks.

"Their free throw defense was great, obviously, in the first half," Les joked, "and their 3-point defense must have been pretty good, or we just missed some shots."

The Spartans right now are "almost searching for ourselves," Walton said, and they'll get some time off with final exams on tap this week. MSU's next game is at home Saturday against Alcorn State.

Goran Suton is out for at least two more weeks after Thursday's arthroscopic knee surgery, and MSU coach Tom Izzo is still trying to figure out his playing rotation in Suton's absence.

MSU's players also need to "get some trust back" with each other, Walton said.

"I'm gonna continuously say this, I guess, but we're not where we need to be at all," Izzo said. "We just need some practice time right now and we need to keep everybody on the court."

MSU (75)

Player M FG FT R A F Pt

Lucas 32 3-15 5-6 6 9 1 12

Morgan 21 3-6 1-2 10 0 4 7

Allen 28 6-14 2-2 3 1 2 19

Walton 34 3-6 3-4 3 4 2 9

Roe 15 1-2 0-0 2 0 5 2

Ibok 6 0-1 0-0 0 0 1 0

Thornton 11 1-4 1-2 5 0 0 3

Summers 13 3-4 1-1 3 0 2 9

Green 15 1-2 3-3 5 2 4 5

Lucious 10 2-4 0-0 1 2 0 5

Gray 15 2-2 0-0 4 0 2 4

TEAM 3

Totals 200 25-60 16-20 45 18 23 75

Bradley (59)

Player M FG FT R A F Pt

Dunson 35 5-12 2-4 2 0 1 13

Collins 23 3-7 3-5 2 0 1 9

Maniscalco 26 2-8 0-0 2 3 4 4

Wilson 29 4-9 6-9 7 1 3 16

Roberts 28 3-10 2-2 5 0 3 9

McCain 19 1-4 0-0 0 2 2 2

Norris 13 0-4 1-2 1 0 0 1

Brown 13 2-3 1-4 5 0 2 5

Thompson 3 0-0 0-0 1 0 0 0

Singh 11 0-2 0-0 3 0 2 0

TEAM 4

Totals 200 20-59 15-26 32 6 18 59

3-points goals-MSU 9-19 (Lucas 1-2, Lucious 1-3, Allen 5-9, Thornton 0-3, Summers 2-2), Bradley 4-22 (Dunson 1-5, Maniscalco 0-5, Wilson 2-4, Roberts 1-5, Norris 0-3). Turnovers-MSU 19, Bradley 16 Fouled out-MSU: Roe. Halftime score-MSU 32, Bradley 27. A-14759.