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Goins, Winston lead the way in No. 6 MSU's win over No. 13 Maryland

January 21, 2019
Junior guard Cassius Winston (5) dribbles past a defender during the game against Maryland on Jan. 21, 2019. The Spartans lead the Terrapins 31-20 at halftime.
Junior guard Cassius Winston (5) dribbles past a defender during the game against Maryland on Jan. 21, 2019. The Spartans lead the Terrapins 31-20 at halftime.

Mark Turgeon couldn't believe it. Maryland's coach was witnessing his team meltdown on the road.

The Terrapins were able to cut a 12-point deficit down into a tie game late in the first half against No. 6 Michigan State on Monday, but the 13th-ranked Terrapins couldn't hang at the Breslin Center.

The Spartans (17-2 overall, 8-0 Big Ten) used a pair of big runs to break away and wear down Maryland (16-4, 7-2) for a 69-55 win, marking MSU's 12th-straight victory.

"There's a reason they're ranked No. 6," Turgeon said."That's a really good team and they've been really dominant in this building."

Kenny Goins and Cassius Winston led  the Spartans with 14 points each. Goins also added a team-high 12 rebounds for the senior's third double-double of the season, while Winston finished with a game-high seven assists. Freshman Aaron Henry scored a career-high 12 points, eclipsing his nine-point record set last Thursday at Nebraska. Matt McQuaid added 10.

“We never settle," Winston, who finished with two blocks, a steal and a turnover, said. "We want to play to the best of our abilities. If we got a chance to put a team away, put ‘em away. We’re not just looking at the game, we’re looking at the big picture."

Maryland's Aaron Wiggins led all scorers 15 and Bruno Fernando scored 12 points with 13 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the season.

MSU's win also ends a seven-game winning streak for the Terps.

Kyle Ahrens, who missed the last two games with a back sprain, finished with two points in nine minutes. He last played Jan. 8 against Purdue.

The Spartans started the game 0-for-6 from the floor until a 3-pointer from McQuaid opened scoring with 16:58 left in the first. 

The Spartans quickly found their footing offensively and broke out on a 10-0 run to take an 18-6 lead, starting with a right-handed dunk in transition from Henry. Gabe Brown and Goins each added triples to during the same stretch, in which MSU held Maryland to 3-of-18 (16.7 percent) shooting through the midway point of the half. 

"I saw it clear as day," Henry said of his dunk. "Open, and on my side, my right leg, just taking off and finishing. That play, it was pretty amazing."

Maryland responded with a 14-2 run to tie the game at 20 with 4:24 left in the half, limiting MSU to 1-of-8 shooting from the floor. Eric Ayala and Wiggins each made deep 3-pointers during the run, but the Spartans clapped back with an 11-0 run to close the half with a 31-20 lead. 

Maryland was held to 25.8 percent shooting on 31 shots for the half, well below the Terps' season average of 47.3 percent.

Another 10-0 run for the Spartans, this time early in the second half, helped put the game out of reach for good. It started with two straight baskets in transition — a Goins layup and 3-point layup from Winston. Xavier Tillman added a layup and Goins capped the run with his second triple, which gave MSU a 45-26 lead.

Maryland's 55 points matches a season low, last set against Loyola Chicago on Dec. 8. It marks the seventh time the Spartans have kept an opponent under 60 points. 

"I didn't think it was the prettiest game, (but) really impressed with our defense in general," MSU coach Tom Izzo said.  

Turgeon admitted the team switched from man-to-man to zone defense for a few possessions early in the second, though it came too late.

"The start of the second half as really frustrating. It's like we weren't even out there," he said. "(We) might have waited a little too long. I just wanted us to compete a little bit."

The Spartans are off until Thursday when they travel to No. 19 Iowa (16-3, 5-3) for a 7 p.m. tipoff (FS1). Four Spartans finished with double figures when MSU beat the Hawkeyes 90-68 in East Lansing on Dec. 3.

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The Spartans also play on the road at Purdue (12-6, 5-2) on Sunday. 

"This is gonna be a brutal weekend from Thursday to Sunday," Izzo said. "We've had longer trips to Iowa, but at the same time what an exciting time for us."

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