No. 1 Michigan State Beats Maryland 91-61 With Balance

By LARRY LAGE/AP Sports Writer

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Miles Bridges had 15 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two blocks to help No. 1 Michigan State turn a closely contested game into another rout, pulling away to beat Maryland 91-61 on Thursday night.

The Spartans (15-1, 3-0 Big Ten) went on a 15-0 run late in the first half to take control and led 44-32 at halftime. They refused to be content with the 12-point lead, building 30-plus point cushions in the second half by diving for loose balls, playing tough defense and finishing with a season-high 16 3-pointers.

NBA teams were well represented at the game with at least a dozen in attendance and they saw a lot of prospects playing for Michigan State.

Freshman Jaren Jackson, projected to be picked ahead of Bridges this year, had 15 points, three blocks and two steals despite playing just 4 minutes in the first half because he had two fouls. Nick Ward had 16 points and two blocks. Cassius Winston had 10 points and eight assists before fouling out for the Spartans.

The Terrapins (13-4, 2-2) had won seven straight.

Maryland's Anthony Cowman scored 26 and Kevin Huerter had 16 points.

BIG PICTURE:

Maryland: The Terrapins can take away some positive signs about the way they played the top-ranked team in the country for about 15 minutes.

Michigan State: The Spartans' depth was on full display, showing they will be tough to stop if a player or two doesn't perform well or if they're hit by foul trouble.

UP NEXT

Maryland: Hosts Iowa on Sunday.

Michigan State: Plays at Ohio State on Sunday.

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