Michigan State University
Michigan
Men's Hoops Routs Michigan, 71-44
1/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan 30, 2002
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Adam Ballinger scored 14 points to lead four Michigan State players in double figures as the Spartans beat Michigan 71-44 Wednesday night, their eighth straight win in the rivalry.
The Spartans (12-8, 3-4 Big Ten) took control with an 11-0 run early in the first half and never allowed Michigan (8-10, 3-5) to get back in the game.
Michigan State's Alan Anderson scored 12 points. Marcus Taylor and Aloysius Anagonye scored 10 each.
LaVell Blanchard led Michigan with 16 points and eight rebounds. Chris Young scored 13 points.
There was a sense that the Wolverines, with first-year coach Tommy Amaker and four returning starters, had their best chance to snap their losing streak Wednesday.
Michigan State is down to just seven recruited scholarship players after graduating five seniors and losing two underclassmen in the NBA Draft.
But this game looked a lot like the previous seven, which Michigan State had won by an average of 21.9 points.
The Spartans shot better, played better defense and outrebounded Michigan. Michigan State made 52.1 percent of its shots, held the Wolverines to 29.6 percent shooting and outrebounded them 41-25.
Michigan played very well - for the first few minutes.
However, after the Spartans took their first lead at 14:29 mark of the first half, they scored 11 unanswered points to go ahead 18-9.
Michigan State outscored the Wolverines 15-4 over the final 6:12 of the half to take a 37-19 lead. Anagonye scored 10 points before halftime, two points more than he's ever scored in a half, but he was scoreless in the second half.
The Wolverines got off to a good start in the second half, as they did to start the game, but they couldn't maintain the solid play, just like they couldn't in the first half.
Michigan pulled within 14 twice over the first couple minutes of the second half but didn't get closer.
The Big Ten scheduled only one game between Michigan and Michigan State this season, and the schools didn't chose to schedule a non-conference game as they have in the past. It's the first time since the 1970-71 season that these rivals have had one scheduled game.
