Without freshman forward Miles Bridges, MSU men's basketball (5-4) battled to a 80-76 victory against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (1-7).
Bridges leads the Spartans on the season with 16.6 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game. His freshman class would show their support in the first half, freshman guard Cassius Winston leading the first half scoring with 11 points and freshman forward Nick Ward would contribute eight points as well.
In the second half, Ward drove the bus for the Spartans. Not only did he show his scoring ability, Ward corralled rebounds and extended plays. His contributions ended with 24 points, a game high, and 8-14 from the free-throw line. He would notch a double double as well with 10 rebounds.
In the first half, MSU and Oral Roberts exchanged leads seven times. That trend would continue in the beginning of the second half. As MSU started to gain headway, the Golden Eagles answered, trading the lead back-and-forth. With 11:49 remaining in the second half, MSU and Oral Roberts were all tied up at 51.
It took an 8-0 run by the Spartans with 8:40 left in the second half to push them to a five-point lead. Through the next five minutes, MSU would be able to keep their narrow lead, up 70-66 with 3:23 left to play. MSU held a one possession lead with 1:42 left in the second half, but were able to hold off the Golden Eagles.
Without Bridges, sophomore Kyle Ahrens would notch his first start of the season. After a two-point first half, Head Coach Tom Izzo elected to go with the hot hand in Winston. Winston would continue his offensive successes, this time facilitating to open Spartans for easy baskets. Winston would finish with 15 points and 9 assists. Ahrens finished with 6 points.
Oral Roberts' leading scorer for the season, Albert Owens (16.3 points per game), was kept to just four points in the first half. However, it was leading rebounder Emmanuel Nzekwesi, that gave the Spartans their biggest headache. Nzekwesi finished with a double double, 21 points and 13 rebounds. Four Golden Eagles would finish in double digit scoring. Nzekwesi, Owens with 15, guard Jalen Bradley with 17 and guard Kris Martin with 16 points.
A rare occurrence this season, MSU was able to hold their turnovers to a minimum in the first half with three. However, MSU mounted three straight turnovers in three straight possessions to begin the second half. MSU would finish with 10 turnovers, 15.6 their average per game this season.
MSU currently ranks second in the nation in assists per field goals at 70.3 percent. Against Oral Roberts, the Spartans totaled 19 assists on 24 made field-goals.
In MSU's next contest they will host Youngstown State on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. The game is set to be televised on ESPNU.
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