#14 Michigan State Spartans Steamroll Fighting Illini 76-56

#14 Michigan State Spartans Steamroll Fighting Illini 76-56

Breslin Center

East Lansing, MI

The #14 Michigan State Spartans saw their record on the season improve to 11-3 with a gutsy tough win over Big Ten foe Illinois. The Spartans took out the Illini with a 76-56 beat down.

The Spartans had four players score in double-digits. They were led by Cassius Winston who had 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Xavier Tillman had 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists (Career-high). Gabe Brown had 12 points and Aaron Henry had 10 points and nine rebounds. Marcus Bingham, Jr. was only other Spartan in double-digits as he had 12 rebounds (Career-high) and no points, but had a defensive masterpiece.

Tom Izzo said of the contest, “I thought there were times in that game we played as good as we've played all year on our defense, our rebound, and our running and I thought there were a couple of times when we just got a little complacent. We made some foolish turnovers, I think we had three at halftime or four at halftime. We had three in the first three minutes of the second half, but as good as Cassius (Winston) played scoring 21, getting a career-high, I told him four rebounds but six assists, two turnovers and 24 minutes. Xavier (Tillman), I thought was really good because he had six assists among all the other things he did, but if I was a hockey guy I'd put my start on a guy who didn't score a point and that was Marcus Bingham. I mean he blocked some shots, he got some rebounds, he started to look like a player and if that happens you know Gabe (Brown) and Thomas (Kithier) got in foul trouble, Xavier (Tillman) was sicker than a dog that's why he left and considering that Cassius (Winston) hasn't practiced much, Rocket's starting to come around. Defensively he did some good things, offensively he's starting to figure it out and he hasn't practiced much in a month. , I don't know, he played a little bit but that Achilles is bothering him so we're kind of a mash unit, but we competed. That's a very good rebounding team, our wings did a good job. Henry had eight rebounds there in the first 12 minutes I think and then he kind of let it drift away a little bit, but there's enough good that we can really build on it and enough bad that I can still work tomorrow so I'll work tonight. All in all, I thought only ten turnovers last year, I don't know, I think we set a North American record for turnovers and I thought we didn't shoot it great but we're shooting really well from the three and we just didn't end up great, took some bad ones at the end, but the defense on their three-point shooting and the fact they didn't shoot it very good. They're a better shooting team than that. They didn't shoot it very good. My coaches did a hell of a job because we thought we followed the game plan and maybe if anybody deserves the credit it's all those assistants because the game plan was good, and it worked.”

Izzo added of Bingham’s (MBJ) career night, “We knew his length can bother people, but he gets tired that's why he's in and out. I was so proud of him I mean what did he end up playing? How many minutes? Twenty, that's a lot for Marky and other than getting a little tired at the start of that second half, I thought he hung in there pretty good, battled pretty good, but Xavier (Tillman), we did some things defensively with Xavier to help Marky. , even though Marky deserves it because it was his best game here, Xavier's all-around game was unbelievable, especially considering how he felt, so really proud of him.”

Spartan leader and superstar Cassius Winston raved of the play of MBJ, “It was huge, you know he's a warrior. He battled and that's one of the things about him he's never going to back down. He's not scared of anything. Tonight he had a big challenge ahead of him and he did everything he could and he blocked some shots, made it tough for him. And he rebounded really well.”

The men in green and the Illini tied on the boards with 48 each. The Spartans had and a low 10 turnovers. The Spartan defense held the Illini to 29% shooting from the field and an abysmal 11% from three.

The Spartans had the lead for 39:27 of the 40 minutes in the game. In all Tom Izzo played all 16 available players. Eight of them scored.

Illini head coach Brad Underwood said of the game, “You know, you look at the stats sheet and that's a heck of a ball game. Yet there's really no substitute, I guess the object is putting that round ball in the basket. We're number two in the Big Ten for field goal percentage and tonight was one of those nights, 14 assists, eight turnovers, 20 offensive rebounds against a team- I'll take that every night and yet couldn't make a basket, couldn't make a shot, I liked our shots, I liked where we were at. Tough night for Kofi (Cockburn), he'll bounce back, but you know it was a night that Cassius (Winston) does what Cassius (Winston) does and was terrific. And we let Xavier (Tillman) have a big night. I was really impressed with (Marcus) Bingham and the job he did on both ends of the court on both ends of the court in terms of creating space. I thought his rebounding was important, he blocked one of Kofi's (Cockburn) shots early. His length was a factor.”

Izzo’s men continued their habit of being unselfish. They had 20 assists on 26 baskets. The Spartans shot 32% from three, 43% from the field and a terrible 71% from the charity stripe.

Xavier Tillman said of the Spartans and their chemistry as the team is trending upward, “It goes a long way, and it starts off the court. Just caring for one another and being there for one another so than on the court it makes every decision easy. You know what each other is going to do, our tendencies and what we like to do.”

The team will return to the hard-court Sunday, January 5, 2020, at the Breslin Center against arch-rival Michigan. That game can be seen on CBS at 1:30 PM.

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