Feisty Spartans Celebrate Thanksgiving Early Dining on BRONCOS instead of Turkey; Downing Santa Clara 79-52

Feisty Spartans Celebrate Thanksgiving Early Dining on BRONCOS instead of Turkey Downing Santa Clara 79-52 Breslin Center East Lansing, MI As the 3-1

Feisty Spartans Celebrate Thanksgiving Early Dining on BRONCOS instead of Turkey Downing Santa Clara 79-52

Breslin Center

East Lansing, MI

As the 3-1 Spartans prepare to head for Florida for the Orlando classic that continues Thanksgiving night with a probable battle with Kansas looming down the road from that, they still had business to take care of at home tonight. Santa Clara Broncos where in the house and they were easily disposed of.

The ever improving Spartans even with Branden Dawson out with the flu had no trouble taking out the Broncos in a humane and quick manner. The Spartans had the 40-14 lead at the half and more impressive than the score was that the Spartans had held the Broncos to just 17% shooting from the floor. The route was on.

At the halfway point the unselfish Spartans had 13 assists on 16 field goals and only five turnovers. Add to that eight Spartans had scored and the Spartan locker room was festive at the break.

With Spartan Nation Royalty in the house, the Spartans didn’t fail to impress. Sitting in MSU AD Mark Hollis’s luxury box at half court Earvin “MAGIC” Johnson held court to an appreciative team that played in a way that made him proud. His teammate and fellow Spartan great Greg Kelser was also in the house at center court, sitting at court level doing the TV broadcast.

Tom Izzo said of his team’s performance that, “I thought we played a great first half in a lot of ways and not a very good second half.”

Bronco head coach Kerry Keating was impressed with your Spartans. He said of the contest that, “Well that was fun if you’re a Spartan fan. We got it handed to us by a very good team obviously. Running the court we were all out of whack and I just didn’t think we looked in sync in the second half.”

The Spartans finished the contest with 12 turnovers and an astounding 22 assists on 29 baskets. They also held the rebounding advantage against Santa Clara 52-34. While the MSU D shut down Santa Clara allowing them to shoot a dismal 29% the Spartans hit 44% of their shots.

Travis Trice was once again exceptional scoring 19 points; he had eight assists and only one turnover. Denzel Valentine and Gavin Schilling each had 11 boards while both accumulated a double double. Valentine had 13 points and Schilling added 14.

The Spartans will leave for Florida tomorrow where they potentially can play three games beginning with Rider on Thanksgiving night at 6:30 PM. That game can be seen on ESPN 2. The Spartans next home game is December sixth against Arkansas Pine Bluff at 2:15.