The Spartans came out with their ninth different starting lineup in the last 12 games after being without senior forward Adreian Payne and limited availability from Dawson.

Harris showed his strength early, scoring four points, grabbing a rebound and getting one steal in the first minute and a half of the game.

Despite a virus, Dawson saw time early getting a block and tip-in after coming off the bench. He also saved a MSU possession and found junior guard Travis Trice wide open to tie the game at 10 early on.

The Spartans have the the best 3-point field goal percentage in the Big Ten, but missed their first eight shots from behind the arc. They finished the game 2-16 from long range.

MSU went into the locker room leading 26-22.

The tides turned early in the second half when sophomore guard Denzel Valentine failed to draw a foul on a hard drive to the hoop, and the Wildcats ran back down the floor and hit a three-pointer to close the gap to just three points.

MSU started to roll midway through the second half.

Sophomore forward Matt Costello scored a nice up and under layup to give the Spartans their biggest lead of the game.

On the next trip down the floor, MSU took more than a minute off the clock by grabbing three offensive rebounds, but scoring just two points.

Northwestern won the rebounding battle in the first half, but MSU came back to win the overall stat, 39-35.

Tre Demps led the Wildcats with 12 points, and JerShon Cobb added eight of his own. Northwestern’s leading scorer, Drew Crawford, was held to just six points.

The win was the 214th for head coach Tom Izzo, tying him for fourth in all-time in the Big Ten with Lou Henson.

The Spartans return to action Saturday at 8 p.m. when they travel to Champaign, Ill. to take on Illinois.