EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Joey Hauser had 18 points and 10 rebounds, Pierre Brooks scored 14 points and Michigan State beat Northern Arizona 73-55 on Monday night in a season opener.
Hauser and Brooks each made a 3-pointer during a 10-0 run to put Michigan State ahead 18-4. The Spartans led by at least eight points the rest way, including 34-20 at the break. Brooks’ fourth 3-pointer gave Michigan State its largest lead of the game at 59-38.
A. J. Hoggard added nine points with eight assists for Michigan State. Hauser and Brooks each made four 3-pointers as Michigan State went 9 of 27.
Jalen Cone led Northern Arizona with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Liam Lloyd added 11 points, but the Lumberjacks shot just 31.7% from the field.
Cone scored 12 of Northern Arizona’s 20 first-half points as his teammates combined to shoot 3 for 18.
The Spartans play No. 2 Gonzaga on an aircraft carrier in San Diego on Friday. Then it’s No. 4 Kentucky in Indianapolis and No. 16 Villanova at home. At the Phil Knight Invitational in Oregon, they will face No. 20 Alabama along with possibly No. 21 Oregon and top-ranked North Carolina.
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