NCAA News Wire
Michigan State 93, Delaware 78
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
SPOKANE, Wash. — Senior forward Adreian Payne poured in a career-high 41 points Thursday afternoon to lead fourth-seeded Michigan State to a 93-78 win over 13th-seeded Delaware in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Payne sank 10 of 15 shots from the field, including four of five from 3-point range, and went 17-for-17 at the free-throw line. He received a standing ovation from the Spokane Arena crowd of 10,862 when coach Tom Izzo removed him from the game in the final minute.
A second-team All-Big Ten Conference player, Payne came into the game averaging 15.8 points. He set his previous career high of 33 points Dec. 21 in a 92-78 win at Texas.
The Spartans (27-8) face 12th-seeded Harvard (27-4) on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the East Regional semifinals in New York. The Crimson defeated fifth-seeded Cincinnati 61-57 earlier Thursday.
Michigan State is playing in the NCAA Tournament for the 17th consecutive year and the 28th time overall. Delaware, making its first NCAA appearance since 1999, fell to 0-5 all-time in the tourney.
Senior guard Devon Saddler, Delaware’s all-time leading scorer, paced the Blue Hens (25-10) with 21 points. Backcourt partners Davon Usher (20) and Jarvis Threatt (14) also scored in double figures for Delaware.
Michigan State guard Travis Trice came off bench to hit seven of eight shots and score 19 points. Guard Gary Harris and swingman Branden Dawson both scored 10 points for the Spartans, who outrebounded the Blue Hens 42-24. Payne and Dawson led Michigan State with eight rebounds apiece.
The Spartans shot 52.6 percent from the field, and the same percentage on 3-pointers (10-for-19). Delaware shot 37 percent from the floor. The Blue Hens nailed 40 percent of their 3-pointers (8-for-20).
Payne scored 23 points in the first half to help the Spartans build a 44-33 lead at the break. Payne sank six of eight shots from the field, including all four of his 3-point attempts, and went 7-for-7 at the free-throw line.
Payne’s 3-pointer gave the Spartans a 36-18 lead with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first half, but the Blue Hens scored the next 11 points. Saddler and Harris both scored 12 points each in the first half.
Michigan State outrebounded Delaware 22-10 and forced 10 turnovers in the opening half.
NOTES: Jud Heathcote, who guided Magic Johnson and Michigan State to the NCAA championship in 1979, attended the game. Heathcote, 86, moved to Spokane (where he once coached high school basketball) when he retired as Spartans coach in 1995. Tom Izzo, Heathcote’s longtime assistant in East Lansing, remains close with Heathcote. … The Blue Hens fell to 0-19 against current Big Ten Conference schools, including 0-11 against teams that were Big Ten members at the time of the game. … Delaware is now 0-30 all time against Top 25 teams.
