MSU head coach Tom Izzo wanted to get more of his guys to play well on the same night.
He got his wish during a night of milestones, season-high performances and an overall great shooting clinic in front of the 110th straight sellout crowd at Breslin Center on Wednesday. The No. 11 Spartans (18-4 overall, 9-2 Big Ten) knocked off Minnesota, 81-62.
"That was what the doctor ordered," Izzo said. "We just had a game when a lot of guys did some things well."
Junior center Paul Davis led the battle cry with his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and his 12 rebounds tied a season high.
As the entire Izzone held up "1,000" signs, Davis nailed his 1,000th career point on the free-throw line with 9:44 left in the first half, joining seniors Chris Hill, Kelvin Torbert and Alan Anderson in the 1,000-point club.
"Just don't miss - that's all I was thinking," Davis said. "It's another milestone, and it's great we've got four of us on one team."
The Spartans shot 57.1 percent from the field fueled by sophomore guard Shannon Brown, who finished with a team high of 18 points.
Minnesota (16-9, 6-6) struggled from start to finish as MSU closed off its dribble penetration and became only the second team this season to score more than 80 points on the Gophers.
The Gophers couldn't keep up with MSU's transition game as they pushed the ball up the court.
"To simulate what they do in transition is pretty difficult, and we were back but not set," Minnesota head coach Dan Monson said. "They just ran the ball by us."
Even though Izzo said "the bright spots were numerous," he did find some negatives - struggling from behind the 3-point line (30.4 percent), turnovers (18) and getting to the free-throw line (11 attempts).
Brown joined three other Spartans in double figures as junior guard Maurice Ager added 16 despite being in foul trouble. Davis had 14, and Anderson had 10 and tied a career-high four steals.
Hill scored 9 points, and freshman guard Drew Neitzel had 7 points - the duo combined for 11 assists. Minnesota kept the game close early, but the momentum swung after Torbert blocked a breakaway layup from Gophers guard Vincent Grier, who finished with 19 points.
Brown quickly scored off the Spartans fast break, and Monson became infuriated.
The 6-year veteran ripped off his suit jacket and shouted at the referee. With his dress shirt hanging out and his team holding him back, a technical was called.
MSU used the frustration to build an 8-point lead midway through the first half.
Anderson hit two 3-pointers and Brown added 10 points to take a 45-31 lead into halftime.
And the Spartans built a double-digit lead in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
