Recap: Michigan State trounces Minnesota by 20, advances to Sweet 16
Nolan BianchiGame summary
Michigan State was able to outrun its own carelessness on the offensive end with high offensive effiiency and advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 70-50 win over Minnesota on Saturday night.
Xavier Tillman had a team-high 14, Cassius Winston had 13 points and nine assists, and Kenny Goins added nine and eight rebounds.
Michigan State committed 22 turnovers, but out-rebounded the Gophers, 45-19.
Spartans close out Gophers
Michigan State's Nick Ward and Minnesota's Isaiah Washington trade layups.
Media timeout: Michigan State 63, Minnesota 42 (3:30 2nd)
Amir Coffey makes a layup for Minnesota after the break. He has a game-high 25. Isaiah Washington then collects a layup on the next Minnesota possession.
The subs are in for Michigan State. Marcus Bingham Jr. drills a 3-pointer, and moments later, Jack Hoiberg tallies a pair of free throws.
FINAL: Michigan State 70, Minnesota 50
Michigan State jumps out to 21-point lead
Daniel Oturu hits a layup for the Gophers. Matt McQuaid flips the momentum and gives Michigan State a 20-point lead with a triple.
Aaron Henry dishes a pass to Xavier Tillman inside, who finishes with a big dunk. Tillman then commits his fourth foul of the game, sending Amir Coffey to the line for an extra free throw after finishing at the rim. He hits the free throw and game-high 23.
Henry nails a jump shot on the other end. It's 59-38.
On the Spartans' next possession, Winston turns it over, leading to a Michael Hurt layup on the other end. Then Nick Ward scores inside to make it 61-40.
Media timeout: Michigan State 61, Minnesota 40 (6:25 2nd)
Winston plays hero after Minnesota cuts deficit to single digits
Amir Coffey throws down a thunderous dunk over Aaron Henry to cut Michigan State's lead to 13. Another turnover kills the Spartans' next possession.
Gabe Kalscheur is fouled by Kenny Goins while going to the hoop. He makes both free throws, making it 40-29.
On the other end, Nick Ward fouls an opponent while fighting for a loose ball. Then Henry fouls Coffey on a drive to the rim. Coffey makes both, and the lead has been trimmed to single digits.
Another Michigan State possession, another turnover. The Spartans fail to get a shot off before the shot clock expires, and that's their 16th of the game.
Cassius Winston sinks a mid-range jumper to stop the bleeding a bit, ending an 8-0 run by the Gophers.
Winston collides with Kalscheur fighting for a loose ball. Winston then hits another mid-range jumper to get the lead back to 13. The junior guard then forces a turnover, heads the other way, and drills a 3-pointer. Have a game, Cassius. He's got seven points in the last 1:05.
Media timeout: Michigan State 47, Minnesota 31 (12:26 2nd)
Xavier Tillman scores inside for the Spartans, matched on the other end by Daniel Oturu. Aaron Henry drills a huge 3-pointer in transition to extend the Spartans' lead to 19.
Media timeout: Michigan 52, Minnesota 33 (10:35 2nd)
Michigan State turnovers keeping Minnesota in game despite poor shooting
Cassius Winston misses a jumper to start the half, but Xavier Tillman draws a foul while fighting for a rebound. Tillman then makes a layup on the fresh possession.
Amir Coffey draws a shooting foul. He makes both free throws. It's 36-21. Kenny Goins grabs an offensive rebound, leading to a Matt McQuaid jumper.
Interesting stat: Michigan State has seven offensive rebounds; Minnesota has 11 total rebounds.
Daniel Oturu scores inside on Tillman to make it 38-23. Winston comes right back the other way and draws a foul while going to the basket. He makes both, nautrally, making him 22-for-22 in NCAA tournament free throws in his career.
Coffey bullies Tillman down low and lays in a bucket. Tillman then commits a turnover, Michigan State's 14th of the game.
Media timeout: Michigan State 40, Minnesota 25 (15:58 2nd)
Michigan State continues to pile on while Minnesota's offense flails
Xavier Tillman gets to the line. He makes the front end of two free throws. Michigan State leads, 27-11. Nick Ward scores inside, extending the Spartan run to 12-0.
Cassius Winston finds Ward inside for an easy bucket.
Minnesota timeout: Michigan State 31, Minnesota 11 (5:59 1st)
Isaiah Washington drains a 3-pointer to end the Gophers scoring drought.
Aaron Henry scoops up an offensive rebound and lays in a bucket, making it 33-14.
Media timeout: Michigan State 33, Minnesota 14 (2:01 1st)
Amir Coffey and Isaiah Washington each score in the paint to make it 33-18. Coffey then gets to the line and makes one of two.
Halftime: Michigan State 33, Minnesota 19
Spartans running away with it early
Cassius Winston turns over the ball at his own perimeter, leading to an Amir Coffey layup in transition. Kenny Goins responds for Michigan State with a 3-pointer.
Xavier Tillman throws home an alley-oop facilitated by Winston to put the Spartans up, 22-11. Michigan State scores another transition bucket two possessions later, with Winston getting it to Tillman again, this time for a layup.
Winston then crosses up Michael Hurt and beats him inside.
Injury: Matt McQuaid appears to have been poked in the eye, and his covering his face with a towel after the play.
Media timeout: Michigan State 26, Minnesota 11 (7:26 1st)
Michigan State holding off Minnesota after Gophers run
Minnesota benefits from a Matt McQuaid turnover, as Amir Coffey puts home a layup to break the Gophers' scoring drought. McQuaid misses a 3-pointer on the next possession, but Nick Ward draws a shooting foul after the Spartans grab an offensive board.
McQuaid scores a transition layup to put Michigan State up 14-4. Coffey then gets to the line for Minnesota and sinks both free throws. A possession later, the junior guard drills a 3-pointer to cut the Gophers' deficit to 5.
Kenny Goins hits a 3-pointer as we go to break.
Media timeout: Michigan State 17, Minnesota 9 (11:09 1st)
Michigan State off and running to 9-point lead
Minnesota is on the board first. Daniel Oturu hits a layup to put the Gophers up, 2-0. Aaron Henry responds with a jam for the Spartans.
Cassius Winston hits a floater in the paint to put Michigan State up by a deuce.
Kenny Goins draws a shooting foul. He makes the front end of two shots. Matt McQuaid catches a pass from Winston and throws down a two-handed slam in transition. It's 7-2, Michigan State.
Nick Ward puts home a hook shot, and a possession later, Goins catches a pass in transition and puts home an easy bucket.
Media timeout: Michigan State 11, Minnesota 2 (15:51 1st)
Pregame
Michigan State meets Big Ten foe Minnesota in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. Follow the action here with live updates by Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News.
East Region
NO. 2 MICHIGAN STATE VS. NO. 10 MINNESOTA
Tip-off: 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa
TV/radio: CBS/760
Records: Michigan State 29-6, Minnesota 22-13
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