EAST LANSING, Mich. — Malik Hall matched his career high with 24 points and Mady Sissoko matched his career best with 12 rebounds as Michigan State routed Penn State, 92-61, on Thursday night.
Michigan State picked up its fourth straight win and its first Big 10 Conference victory after falling to No. 23 Wisconsin and Nebraska in December.
The Spartans (9-5, 1-2) led by 15 at the break and pushed it to a 27-point lead after Hall hit a jumper with 13:15 left to make it 69-42. The Nittany Lions rallied and cut their deficit to 19 after Qudus Wahab hit the first of two free throws to make it 71-52, but Sissoko and Tyson Walker each scored at the basket to spark a 9-0 run that pushed the lead to 28 points with five minutes left. Xavier Booker’s 3 with 2:16 left made it a 33-point advantage, 90-57.
Michigan State hit 36 of 64 from the field (56.3%) and knocked down 10 of 21 from beyond the 3-point arc while collecting 25 assists and making 13 steals.
Five Michigan State scorers reached double digits. Hall hit 9 of 12 from the field and drained both of his 3-point attempts while collecting four assists and three steals. Tyson Walker was 9 of 14 from the field, including 3 of 4 from distance, while dishing five assists and collecting six steals. Jaden Akins, Hoggard and Tre Holloman each added 10 points.
Kanye Clary led Penn State (7-7, 1-2) with 21 points, hitting 5 of 10 from the floor and 10 of 10 from the line. Nick Kern Jr. added 10 points off the bench. The Nittany Lions collectively hit 20 of 62 from the field (32.3%) and was just 3 of 29 from deep.
On Sunday, Michigan State travels to play at Northwestern and Penn State visits Ann Arbor to face Michigan.
