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FINAL: Ward scores career-high in double-digit win against Oakland

December 21, 2016
Freshman forward Nick Ward (44) reacts to a play from the bench during the first half of the game against Oakland on Dec. 21, 2016 at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Grizzlies, 77-65.
Freshman forward Nick Ward (44) reacts to a play from the bench during the first half of the game against Oakland on Dec. 21, 2016 at Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Grizzlies, 77-65. —
Photo by Carly Geraci | and Carly Geraci The State News

A buzzer-beating triple from Oakland University freshman guard Brailen Neely cut the Spartan lead down to two points heading into halftime. It propelled a visibly angry Tom Izzo and the MSU basketball team to a 77-65 victory. 

Scoring in the second half started off back-and-forth before freshman guard Cassius Winston snapped the nylon from downtown, then laying it up on the next possession to extend MSU's lead to seven points, 46-39.

Following a layup from sophomore forward Xavier Hill-Mais, the Golden Grizzlies would go scoreless the next four minutes, allowing MSU to take a double-digit lead. A jumper from fifth-year senior Eron Harris and a 3-point field goal from sophomore guard Matt McQuaid gave the Spartans a 6-0 run and a 52-41 lead in that span, prompting a media timeout with 11:44 to play.

Oakland's drought would come to an end after redshirt-junior Jalen Hayes laid one up coming out of the timeout. Hayes would make a pair of free throws a minute later, making it a 52-45 game. Freshman forward Chris Palombizio would drain a triple on the next possession to make it a four-point game. 

With 8:13 to play, freshman forward Nick Ward converted a layup on the fastbreak and made both free throws on the one-and-one a minute later. Harris found the field from 3-point range on the next possession gave MSU an 11 point lead with just under seven minutes to play. 

The Golden Grizzlies would respond with scores from fifth-year senior guard Sherron Dorsey-Walker on consecutive possessions. Ward and Ellis both made shots from the floor to put MSU up by 13 with 5:32 to play.

Dorsey-Walker would score the Golden Grizzlies' next two field goals and a set of free throws from junior guard Martez Walker made it 69-62 with 2:15 to play. Hayes and sophomore center Brad Brechting fouled out of the game for Oakland. 

Down 71-64, Walker would miss his first free throw with 39.3 seconds left to play, but would make the second shot to bring the team within six. Following Walker's shot, Oakland would call timeout. 

Sophomore guard Matt McQuaid was fouled on MSU's next possession, and a technical foul was called on the Oakland bench. McQuaid hit one free throw on the technical with Harris making both of his. Harris was fouled once more with 10 seconds left in the game, making both and sealing the deal, 77-65.

Ward finished as the game-high scorer and finished with a career-high 25 points and 9 rebounds. MSU finished the contest shooting 47.9 percent from the floor, 7-for-16 from 3-point range while Oakland shot 36.8 percent from the field, 8-for-24 from beyond the arc. MSU converted on 24-of-37 free throw attempts, Ward converted on 15-of-21 shots from the line.

With the victory, the Spartans improve to 15-0 all-time against Oakland University and 8-5 overall on the season. MSU will resume action on Dec. 27 when the Spartans travel out to Minnesota to begin Big Ten play. Tip-off against the Golden Gophers is slated for 9 p.m.

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