EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State guard Drew Neitzel scored a game-high 20 points and the much larger Spartans (7-2) held Bradley (5-3) to six 2-point field goals en route to an 82-53 non-conference men's basketball victory Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center.
Bradley entered the weekend ranked second nationally by averaging 12.0 3-point field goals per game and by shooting 48.6 percent from behind the arc, and the Braves did little to hurt those numbers Sunday. Bradley sank 11-of-23 (.478) 3-point tries against a Michigan State team that was allowing less than six 3-pointers per game and less than 29 percent accuracy from behind the arc.
The Braves were unable to score from the interior, however, making only 6-of-34 (.176) 2-point field goal attempts. And when the Braves missed, they were unable to get many second looks. Michigan State outrebounded Bradley, 45-27, and limited the Braves to just six offensive rebounds in 41 opportunities.
In addition to Neitzel, the Spartans received double-digit scoring from Raymar Morgan (18 points), Travis Walton (15) and Marquise Gray (11). Walton dished out nine assists and Drew Naymick pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds. Bradley point guard Daniel Ruffin led the Braves with 13 points and four assists. Jeremy Crouch added 12 points and freshman Andrew Warren contributed 11 off the bench. Senior center Zach Andrews led the Braves with 10 rebounds, but was limited to four points on 2-for-11 shooting from the floor.
After Ruffin staked the Braves to a 5-2 lead on a layup and 3-pointer, Michigan State went on a 15-0 run to take a 17-5 lead with 10:03 left in the first half. Two 3-pointers from Ruffin, one each from Crouch and Will Franklin and a follow slam by Zach Andrews led the Braves back to a 19-19 tie with 5:20 left in the half, but the Spartans dominated the rest of the way.
Michigan State closed the first half with a 10-2 run, then held the Braves to five points for nearly nine minutes to start the second half, eventually seeing its lead grow to 35 points, 64-29, with 9:09 left.
Bradley will try to snap its 3-game losing streak Tuesday night against Wright State at Carver Arena. The Braves have won 11 consecutive home games overall and 21 in a row against non-conference competition.
