NCAA News Wire
Michigan State 86, Iowa 76
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Junior guard Travis Trice scored 17 points off the bench and No. 22 Michigan State snapped a two-game losing streak by defeating No. 24 Iowa 86-76 on Thursday night at Breslin Center.
Forward Adreian Payne had 14 points and point guard Keith Appling supplied 12 to make their Senior Night a winning one. Sophomore guard Denzel Valentine added 13 points and nine assists for the Spartans (23-7 overall, 12-5 Big Ten), who had lost two straight at home and six of their last 10 games overall.
Senior guard Roy Devyn Marble had 24 points — his fifth consecutive game with 20 points or more — for the Hawkeyes (20-10, 9-8). Junior Aaron White chipped in 10 points, but Iowa its lost eight straight to Michigan State and 18th consecutive game at the Breslin Center.
Michigan State took the lead for good by scoring the first nine points of the second half. Appling capped the run with a steal and layup to make it 48-41. Marble ended Iowa’s 4:13 second-half drought with a driving layup.
Midway through the half, Trice went on a personal 8-0 run to give the Spartans a 68-55 lead. He made two 3-pointers, sandwiched around a runner in the lane with the shot clock about to expire.
Trice also contributed four free throws during another 9-0 Michigan State outburst that bumped its lead to 77-59.
Things got chippy with 4:45 remaining when Iowa forward Zach McCabe flipped over Trice near the Iowa bench after they got tangled up. They were both called for personal fouls and McCabe was also charged with a technical. McCabe fouled out on the play and Michigan State forward Russell Byrd was ejected for coming off the bench.
Marble’s perimeter shooting helped Iowa take a 41-39 halftime lead. Marble put up 16 first-half points, with most of his scoring coming from behind or just inside the 3-point arc.
Valentine kept the Spartans close by compiling 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds in the first half.
The lead changed hands 12 times before the break, and neither team led by more than six points.
NOTES: The last time the Spartans lost three consecutive home games was the 1996-97 season, when Illinois, Michigan and Purdue defeated them during conference play. … Before Thursday, the teams’ previous three meetings were decided by three points or fewer, including Michigan State’s 71-69 overtime victory at Iowa City on Jan. 28. … Iowa’s last win at Breslin Center was a 96-90 overtime triumph on Jan. 28, 1993. … Hawkeyes F Aaron White is the only player in the nation shooting better than 55 percent from the field and 80 percent from the free-throw line. … Michigan State wraps up the regular season at Ohio State on Sunday, while Iowa finishes at home against Illinois on Saturday night. … Freshman C Gavin Schilling and sophomore G Denzel Valentine are the only Spartans who appeared in every game this season.
