Michigan State ruined Nebraska’s Big Ten opener with a commanding 89-52 victory on Saturday, showcasing their dominance on the court. Jaden Akins led the Spartans with 18 points, while Jaxon Kohler came close to a personal best, finishing just one rebound shy with 12.
The Spartans, now boasting an 8-2 record and 2-0 in the Big Ten, saw strong contributions from their bench as Jase Richardson scored 16 points and Xavier Booker added 11. The duo combined for an impressive shooting performance, hitting 9 of their 13 attempts in just 15 minutes of play.
Michigan State displayed remarkable efficiency, shooting 51.8% from the field (29-of-56) and an outstanding 95.7% from the free-throw line (22-of-23), highlighting their offensive prowess.
For Nebraska, who fell to 6-2 and 0-1 in the conference, Andrew Morgan and Brice Williams each scored 14 and 11 points, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to keep pace with the Spartans.
Nebraska managed to close the gap to 26-21 after Morgan’s jump shot with 6:01 left in the first half. However, Michigan State quickly responded with a dunk from Coen Carr, followed by a three-pointer and two free throws from Richardson, ensuring they maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game. The Spartans extended their advantage to 20 points (53-33) with an Akins jumper and later reached a 30-point lead (65-34) thanks to a three-pointer from Tre Holloman with 10:48 remaining.
This match marked the Spartans’ first home game at the Breslin Center in 18 days, and they now hold a 24-10 advantage in the all-time series against Nebraska.
