Photo: Nick King ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
EAST LANSING ~ Michigan State delivered a high-energy performance in their non-conference finale, claiming victory over Cornell with a final score of 114-97 at the Breslin Center. The Big Red kept it interesting early on, sprinting to a 16-4 advantage in the opening minutes and maintaining control for much of the first half. However, a clutch buzzer-beater by sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. shifted momentum, giving MSU a slim 55-53 lead at the break.
The second half turned into a masterclass from the Spartans, who outscored Cornell 59-44, highlighted by a blistering 32-12 run in the opening 10 minutes that effectively sealed the game. Michigan State asserted control on the boards, tallying 45 rebounds to Cornell’s 33. The Spartans shot a solid 55% from the field — including 13 made threes on 28 attempts, while Cornell managed 46% shooting and hit 15 threes out of 44 tries.
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(CONTINUED) Individually, six Spartans reached double figures in scoring, led by 21 points and 11 assists from Fears Jr., who orchestrated MSU’s offensive engine. Junior forward Coen Carr chipped in 19 points, and senior forward Jaxon Kohler posted his fourth straight double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. On Cornell’s side, senior guard Cooper Noard kept them competitive, scoring 19 points and maintaining his impressive 40% mark from deep, though it wasn’t enough to preserve their early lead.
