National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Michigan St 79, Western Michigan 61
When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 6, 2020
Where: Jack Breslin Student Events Center, East Lansing, Michigan
Officials: # Larry Scirotto, # Chris Beaver, # Courtney Green
Attendance: N/A

Joey Hauser poured in a career-high 24 points, including six 3-pointers, and No. 8 Michigan State downed Western Michigan 79-61 at East Lansing, Mich. Sunday.

Hauser's previous high was 21 points while playing for Marquette two seasons ago. He added 10 rebounds and four assists.

Aaron Henry supplied 12 points, five assists and four rebounds for Michigan State (5-0). Rocket Watts had 10 points and six assists and Marcus Bingham Jr. chipped in eight points.

The Spartans shot 50.8 percent from the field, while Western Michigan was limited to 39 percent shooting. Michigan State recorded 28 assists on its 32 field-goal makes.

B.Artis White led the Broncos with 19 points, while pulling down six rebounds and adding three assists. Titus Wright recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Western Michigan (0-2) had canceled its previous game at Notre Dame due to coronavirus issues.

Bingham provided his team a spark early in the second half with two dunks. Henry's jumper with 15:31 remaining gave the Spartans a double-digit lead at 52-41.

Western Michigan then ran off nine unanswered points as the Spartans got sloppy. Greg Lee capped it off with two free throws after one of the five turnovers Michigan State committed during that stretch.

The Spartans scored seven of the next nine points, including a Hauser 3-pointer, to take a 59-52 lead.

Joshua Langford's three-point play with 6:35 left increased the Spartans' advantage to 65-54. Hauser inched Michigan State's lead to 12 a short time later with his fifth 3-pointer of the game. He exceeded his career high in points with another long ball from the top of the key with 4:16 left.

The Spartans led by as much as 10 points in the first half before settling for a 39-35 halftime advantage. Hauser had nine points to top them while Watts supplied eight points and five assists. White and Wright scored 12 points apiece to keep the Broncos within striking distance.

The Spartans defeated Western Michigan 95-62 last season.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Western Michigan   Michigan St
B. Artis White 19 Scoring Joey Hauser 24
Greg Lee 4 Assists Rocket Watts 6
Titus Wright 10 Rebounds Joey Hauser 10
B. Artis White 6 Free Throws Made Joey Hauser 2
Chase Barrs 1 Steals Joey Hauser 2
Titus Wright 1 Blocks Marcus Bingham Jr. 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Western Michigan 61 39.0 5-13 10-11 14 28 1 4 12
Michigan St 79 50.8 10-26 5-7 28 33 6 4 11