Xavier Booker scores career-high 18, No. 20 Michigan State beats Oakland 77-58 for 4th straight win
DETROIT (AP) Xavier Booker scored a career-high 18 points, Jaden Akins had 16 and Jaxon Kohler added 14 to lead No. 20 Michigan State in a 77-58 win over Oakland on Tuesday night.
The Spartans (9-2) have won four straight and seven of their last eight games.
The Golden Grizzlies (3-6) trailed by one point after a closely contested first half that included four ties and two lead changes.
Michigan State pulled away after halftime as Booker and Akins scored in double digits in the second half.
The Spartans held Oakland to 27.8% shooting.
DQ Cole scored 15 of his 17 points in the first half and Malcolm Christie finished with 15 points for the Golden Grizzlies.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and Oakland coach Greg Kampe wore matching, green Grinch sweaters.
Faces in the crowd included Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson, who led the Spartans to the 2000 national championship, and Jack Gohlke, who made 10 3-pointers to help the Oakland stun third-seeded Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament nine months ago.
Michigan State: Booker is starting to play up to his potential. The sophomore had his best game offensively, surpassing the 12 points he had in last month's win over then- No. 12 North Carolina.
Oakland: Kampe's teams shoot a lot of 3-pointers and if his current team gets hot beyond the arc, it could pull off some upsets.
Akins made a reverse layup to put the Spartans ahead by 12 midway through the second half and Oakland called a timeout, but could not slow them down.
Michigan State blocked a season-high 11 shots after averaging 4.2 blocks.
Michigan State hosts Florida Atlantic on Saturday. Oakland plays at Cleveland State on Thursday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | (Golden Grizzlies gains possession) | ||
| 19:39 |  | DQ Cole misses two point jump shot | ||
| 19:37 | | Isaiah Jones offensive rebound | ||
| 19:32 | | Jaxon Kohler blocks Isaiah Jones's two point layup | ||
| 19:30 | | Jaden Akins defensive rebound | ||
| 19:14 | | +2 | Jaxon Kohler makes two point jump shot (Jaden Akins assists) | 0-2 |
| 18:48 | | Jaxon Kohler blocks Allen Mukeba's two point jump shot | ||
| 18:46 | | Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 18:31 | | +2 | Szymon Zapala makes two point layup (Jaxon Kohler assists) | 0-4 |
| 18:04 | | Jayson Woodrich misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:02 | | Isaiah Jones offensive rebound | ||
| 17:55 | | Jeremy Fears Jr. blocks DQ Cole's three point jump shot | ||
| 17:53 | | DQ Cole offensive rebound | ||
| 17:46 | | DQ Cole misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:44 | | DQ Cole offensive rebound | ||
| 17:44 | | DQ Cole misses two point layup | ||
| 17:44 | | Spartans defensive rebound | ||
| 17:32 | | Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:30 | | Isaiah Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 17:16 | | Jayson Woodrich misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:14 | | Deng Majak offensive rebound | ||
| 17:11 | | Deng Majak turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 17:02 | | Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:00 | | Spartans offensive rebound | ||
| 17:00 | | Cooper Craggs personal foul | ||
| 16:50 | | Jaxon Kohler misses two point jump shot | ||
| 16:48 | | Golden Grizzlies defensive rebound | ||
| 16:26 | | +3 | DQ Cole makes three point jump shot | 3-4 |
| 16:16 | | Allen Mukeba personal foul | ||
| 16:08 | | Jaden Akins turnover (bad pass) (Cooper Craggs steals) | ||
| 15:56 | | Xavier Booker blocks Jaylen Jones's two point layup | ||
| 15:54 | | Carson Cooper defensive rebound | ||
| 15:48 | | Jase Richardson misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:46 | | Xavier Booker offensive rebound | ||
| 15:40 | | +3 | Jaden Akins makes three point jump shot (Xavier Booker assists) | 3-7 |
| 15:15 | | +2 | Allen Mukeba makes two point layup | 5-7 |
| 15:00 | | +3 | Jaden Akins makes three point jump shot (Carson Cooper assists) | 5-10 |
| 14:40 | | +2 | Allen Mukeba makes two point layup | 7-10 |
| 14:31 | | Xavier Booker misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:29 | | Coen Carr offensive rebound | ||
| 14:26 | | Jase Richardson turnover (bad pass) (Isaiah Jones steals) | ||
| 14:22 | | Jase Richardson shooting foul (Jaylen Jones draws the foul) | ||
| 14:22 | | TV timeout | ||
| 14:22 | | +1 | Jaylen Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-10 |
| 14:22 | | +1 | Jaylen Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 9-10 |
| 13:55 | | +2 | Jase Richardson makes two point layup | 9-12 |
| 13:38 | | Xavier Booker shooting foul (Allen Mukeba draws the foul) | ||
| 13:38 | | Allen Mukeba misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 13:38 | | +1 | Allen Mukeba makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-12 |
| 13:09 | | Jaylen Jones personal foul | ||
| 12:57 | | Allen Mukeba blocks Coen Carr's two point layup | ||
| 12:55 | | Spartans offensive rebound | ||
| 12:50 | | Frankie Fidler turnover (traveling) | ||
| 12:23 | | Allen Mukeba misses two point jump shot | ||
| 12:21 | | Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound | ||
| 12:16 | | Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot | ||
| 12:14 | | Cooper Craggs defensive rebound | ||
| 11:47 | | Jaylen Jones misses two point layup | ||
| 11:45 | | Coen Carr defensive rebound | ||
| 11:36 | | Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jaylen Jones steals) | ||
| 11:20 | | Allen Mukeba misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:18 | | Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound | ||
| 11:14 | | Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:12 | | Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound | ||
| 11:11 | | Nassim Mashhour personal foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul) | ||
| 11:11 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:10 | | Szymon Zapala turnover (traveling) | ||
| 10:47 | | Cooper Craggs misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:45 | | Szymon Zapala defensive rebound | ||
| 10:28 | | Jayson Woodrich shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 10:28 | | +1 | Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-13 |
| 10:28 | | +1 | Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-14 |
| 10:08 | | Szymon Zapala blocks Allen Mukeba's two point layup | ||
| 10:06 | | Szymon Zapala defensive rebound | ||
| 10:00 | | Frankie Fidler misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:58 | | Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound | ||
| 9:58 | | DQ Cole shooting foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul) | ||
| 9:58 | | +1 | Jaxon Kohler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 10-15 |
| 9:58 | | +1 | Jaxon Kohler makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-16 |
| 9:43 | | +2 | Malcolm Christie makes two point jump shot (DQ Cole assists) | 12-16 |
| 9:35 | | Jaxon Kohler misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:33 | | Isaiah Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 9:28 | | +3 | DQ Cole makes three point jump shot (Jaylen Jones assists) | 15-16 |
| 9:15 | | Jaxon Kohler turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 8:51 | | Isaiah Jones misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:49 | | Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound | ||
| 8:35 | | Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:33 | | DQ Cole defensive rebound | ||
| 8:13 | | +3 | DQ Cole makes three point jump shot (Allen Mukeba assists) | 18-16 |
| 7:50 | | +2 | Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup (Szymon Zapala assists) | 18-18 |
| 7:30 | | Jaden Akins shooting foul (Malcolm Christie draws the foul) | ||
| 7:30 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:30 | | +1 | Malcolm Christie makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 19-18 |
| 7:30 | | Malcolm Christie misses regular free throw 2 of 3 | ||
| 7:30 | | Malcolm Christie misses regular free throw 3 of 3 | ||
| 7:30 | | Jase Richardson defensive rebound | ||
| 6:59 | | Tre Holloman misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:57 | | Frankie Fidler offensive rebound | ||
| 6:52 | | Jase Richardson misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:50 | | DQ Cole defensive rebound | ||
| 6:32 | | Szymon Zapala blocks Isaiah Jones's two point layup | ||
| 6:30 | | Jaylen Jones offensive rebound | ||
| 6:25 | | DQ Cole misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:23 | | Szymon Zapala defensive rebound | ||
| 6:19 | | Szymon Zapala turnover (Isaiah Jones steals) | ||
| 6:15 | | Szymon Zapala blocks Jaylen Jones's two point jump shot | ||
| 6:13 | | Frankie Fidler defensive rebound | ||
| 6:11 | | Coen Carr misses two point layup | ||
| 6:10 | | Coen Carr offensive rebound | ||
| 5:53 | | +2 | Szymon Zapala makes two point layup | 19-20 |
| 5:50 | | Coen Carr personal foul | ||
| 5:30 | | Allen Mukeba misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:28 | | Xavier Booker defensive rebound | ||
| 5:21 | | +3 | Xavier Booker makes three point jump shot (Tre Holloman assists) | 19-23 |
| 4:56 | | DQ Cole misses two point jump shot | ||
| 4:54 | | Xavier Booker defensive rebound | ||
| 4:45 | | Allen Mukeba blocks Carson Cooper's two point layup | ||
| 4:43 | | DQ Cole defensive rebound | ||
| 4:19 | | +3 | DQ Cole makes three point jump shot | 22-23 |
| 3:55 | | +2 | Frankie Fidler makes two point jump shot | 22-25 |
| 3:26 | | +3 | DQ Cole makes three point jump shot (Allen Mukeba assists) | 25-25 |
| 3:16 | | +3 | Xavier Booker makes three point jump shot (Tre Holloman assists) | 25-28 |
| 2:46 | | Cooper Craggs misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:44 | | Jase Richardson defensive rebound | ||
| 2:29 | | Xavier Booker turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 2:29 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:14 | | +3 | Malcolm Christie makes three point jump shot (Cooper Craggs assists) | 28-28 |
| 1:56 | | +2 | Jaxon Kohler makes two point layup | 28-30 |
| 1:37 | | Malcolm Christie misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:35 | | Malcolm Christie offensive rebound | ||
| 1:26 | | Malcolm Christie misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:24 | | Nassim Mashhour offensive rebound | ||
| 1:20 | | +2 | Nassim Mashhour makes two point layup | 30-30 |
| 1:12 | | Jaden Akins misses two point jump shot | ||
| 1:10 | | DQ Cole defensive rebound | ||
| 1:02 | | DQ Cole misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:00 | | Nassim Mashhour offensive rebound | ||
| 0:43 | | Nassim Mashhour misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:41 | | Spartans defensive rebound | ||
| 0:36 | | Spartans 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:36 | | TV timeout | ||
| 0:12 | | Cooper Craggs shooting foul (Xavier Booker draws the foul) | ||
| 0:12 | | +1 | Xavier Booker makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-31 |
| 0:12 | | Xavier Booker misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 0:12 | | Isaiah Jones defensive rebound | ||
| 0:07 | | Golden Grizzlies 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:02 | | Tre Holloman personal foul (DQ Cole draws the foul) | ||
| 0:01 | | DQ Cole misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |