Senior guard Denzel Valentine speaks to media during men's basketball media day on Oct. 27, 2015 at Breslin Center.
The No. 13 MSU basketball team was able to come away with the victory over coach Tom Izzo’s alma mater Northern Michigan in an exhibition Wednesday night, 94-53.
Only leading 38-33 at halftime, MSU overcame their sloppy start to defeat the Wildcats, but the first half struggles were a cause for concern. The Spartans shot a mere 23 percent from behind the arc in the first 20 minutes, while the Wildcats converted six of their 16 three-point attempts.
The story of first half failures can be matched by that of second half success. The Spartans blew the gates open by beginning the second half on a 22-4 scoring run, sprinkled with Bryn Forbes three pointers and Deyonta Davis dunks, and just a dash of flashy passing from senior captain Denzel Valentine. The Spartans outscored the Wildcats 56-20 in the second half.
Valentine looked in midseason form, recording a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, the last of which occurring with 3:11 left in the game as Javon Bess knocked down his only three point attempt.
Valentine’s old high school teammate Forbes led the Spartans in scoring with 23 points, shooting 7-10 from three. Bess, Deyonta Davis, and Gavin Schilling also finished with double digit points for MSU. Jordan Perez led Northern Michigan in scoring with 15 points.
One of the big surprises heading into the night was Bess, a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward getting the start at the power forward. At halftime, Bess recorded five points and three rebounds, shooting 50 percent from the field. He finished the game with 11 points and nine rebounds, one short of a double-double
Bess’s backup, freshman Deyonta Davis, stole the show in the first half. He accumulated seven points, two rebounds, and two massive blocked shots in nine minutes that brought the Izzone crowd to their feet. Davis’s post dominance continued in the second half, scoring five more, grabbing four rebounds, and swatting four opposing shots.
Fellow freshman Matt McQuaid assumed the role of backup point guard and recorded three assists to go along with two points in the first half,. McQuaid was also featured at the shooting guard and small forward position, and finished the game with seven points and three assists.
Eron Harris, playing in his first game at the Breslin after transferring from West Virginia the prior season, struggled a bit in the first half. He only recorded two points on 1-3 shooting, and had three turnovers. In the second half, Harris settled down a bit, finishing with four points, three rebounds, and three assists.
The Spartans continue their preseason Monday night against Ferris State.
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