Feb. 20, 2008
East Lansing, Mich. - Penn State (12-13; 4-9 Big Ten) fell 86-49 at No. 19 Michigan State (21-5; 9-4 Big Ten) Wednesday night in East Lansing, Mich., as the Spartans avenged an 85-76 loss in State College early this season.
Penn State remained winless in 16 trips to East Lansing. Stanley Pringle led the Lions with 12 points and Jamelle Cornley chipped in 11 and six rebounds recording his 500th career rebound on the night and coming within one-point of becoming the 27th 1,000-point scorer in Penn State history. Raymar Morgan led Michigan State with 16 points and Drew Neitzel and Goran Suton added 10 each as 12 Spartans scored on the night.
Michigan State used a 13-2 in the first four minutes of the second half to open up a 52-29 lead and cruised home for there as Penn State could not find an answer in the second half.
The Spartans pushed their lead to as many as 39 in the second half as they shot 58 percent from the floor and 10-of-17 from the three-point line (58%) to stay a perfect 15-0 at home on the year.
Penn State shot 34 percent, hitting just 8-of-27 in the second half, and was out-rebounded 38-25.
Michigan State held a 39-27 lead at the half as the Spartans shot 60 percent from the floor and hit 5-of-7 from three in the first 20 minutes. Kalin Lucas led Michigan State with nine points hitting 3-of-3 from the arc while Suton was strong on the block with eight points.
Penn State got a strong first half from Andrew Jones who scored eight first half points to lead the Lions. Stanley Pringle and Talor Battle both made a pair of threes for six points as Penn State hit 4-of-9 from three and 40 percent from the floor.
Michigan State jumped out to an early 12-4 lead after threes from Lucas and Neitzel. Penn State cut the margin to 12-10 after a 6-0 run fueled by a pair of buckets from Jones.
Michigan State used and 8-2 run to take a 20-12 lead and extended the margin to 11 after an alley-oop from Lucas to Marquis Gray and a Drew Naymick dunk on a break away following one of Penn State's seven first half turnovers. The Spartans led 26-15 and forced a Penn State timeout with 5:33 to play following the Naymick dunk.
Penn State responded with a three from Pringle, but Neitzel answered immediately setting off a string of five straight threes. Battle answered Neitzel's three, then Lucas hit from the arc and Battle answered again. A two-point bucket from Travis Walton ended the string as the Spartans led 34-24 at the final media timeout with 2:19 to play.
Lucas hit another three and Suton a pair of late free throws for the Spartans, while Jones ended the first half scoring with a pair of free throws after being fouled on a put-back.
Penn State will continue its current two-game road swing and wrap up a run of four of five games on the road when they take on Minnesota in Minneapolis on Sunday. That game is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. tip on the Big Ten Network.
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