The Big Ten had four games on Saturday, highlighted by a marquee matchup between Michigan State and Arkansas in East Lansing. The game ended up going down to the wire.
Let’s take a look at what happened.
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–No. 22 Michigan State Spartans 69, No. 14 Arkansas Razorbacks 66
This game looked pretty even on paper and played out that way, as things went down to the final few possessions before Michigan State could escape with the win. The Spartans definitely deserved to win the game, but the team had to do plenty of work to get there. The star of the show was freshman Cam Ward, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Jeremy Fears had a quiet night with just four points, though he got nine assists.
The win pushed Michigan State to 2-0 on the season and got the team its first marquee win of the season. While Arkansas doesn’t project as an elite squad, it does look like an NCAA Tournament team that could do some damage in March if things hit right. As such, this seems like a win that will be valuable on Selection Sunday.
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If there’s any major takeaways from the game, it has to do with Ward and his potential. Michigan State’s offense was relatively underwhelming in the game and the team will need to find some ways to score as the season continues. If Ward can help address that, it’ll be a huge boost for the squad. We’ll see if he gets more playing time when the team returns to action against San Jose State at home on Thursday.
–Minnesota Golden Gophers 95, Alcorn State Braves 50
The Gophers rolled in this game, scoring a 45-point win over Alcorn State. Cade Tyson led the way with 21 points and six rebounds. Four other Gophers scored in double-digits, including Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, who finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds. The win pushed Minnesota to 2-0 on the season. The team will now prepare for Missouri on the road on Wednesday. It presents as a major opportunity for the new coaching staff.
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–Nebraska Cornhuskers 96, Florida International Panthers 66
This was a positive showing for Nebraska, as the team cruised to a 30-point win on Saturday. Rienk Mast led the way with 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Pryce Sandfort also splashed, with 20 points, including a big night from long range. By the end, Fred Hoiberg was able to unload the bench. Nebraska improved to 2-0 with the win and will now prepare for Maryland Eastern Shore at home on Tuesday.
–Penn State Nittany Lions 87, New Haven Chargers 43
The Nittany Lions rolled in this one, scoring one of the program’s most dominant road wins in modern history, at least from a margin of victory perspective. Dominick Stewart had a great game off the bench, finishing with 18 points in just 21 minutes of action. Freshman Kayden Mingo also had a nice afternoon, with 16 points, six assists, and six rebounds. The win pushed Penn State to 2-0 overall. The team will now prepare for Navy at home on Tuesday.
