Twenty four seconds later, he floated a runner through the net, and the No. 14 MSU men’s basketball team was off and running in its exhibition opener, with Dawson looking very similar to the explosive freshman that burst on campus a year ago.

MSU finished the first half leading Northwood 34-28, with Dawson’s highlight reel hardly limited to the game’s opening minute.

The sophomore guard slammed home a one-handed jam, as he cut across the lane as part of 10 points and five rebounds in the first half, leading the way for MSU, with the only lingering sign of his torn ACL being the precautionary brace worn on his left knee.

Senior center Derrick Nix chipped in seven points and a team-high six rebounds.

It was a slower start for MSU’s bench, which allowed Northwood to gain a small lead using a 10-2 run against the Spartans’ reserves.

The run was snapped by a nifty no-look pass from freshman guard Denzel Valentine to Alex Gauna for a layup, the group’s only field goal during its first stint on the floor.

MSU’s starters returned to the court and regained the lead quickly after Nix and junior guard Keith Appling scored their first buckets of the game, and MSU’s lead wouldn’t be relinquished.