Michigan State headed to Minneapolis for a Wednesday night Big Ten opener as a team struggling to shoot it from deep and left with an 18-point road victory over Minnesota that included 50% shooting from 3-point range on the night.

The No. 25/RV Spartans improved to 7-2 on the young season and begin league play 1-0 following the victory.

The win over UM was a team effort as 12 total MSU players scored. That offensive performance included 36 bench points and nine players with at least five points. The Spartans also shot 52.7% from the field and 80.8% from the free throw line.

Coen Carr led MSU in scoring with 12 points. Xavier Booker added 11 points (three-for-4 from 3-point range) and Jeremy Fears Jr. added 10 as well, but Jaxon Kohler finished with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Spartans on the glass. Tre Holloman led the team in assists with eight helpers alongside his eight points.

On the defensive end, MSU held Minnesota to just 44.1% from the field with three Gophers scoring in double figures overall. Dawson Garcia led all scorers on the night with 18 points, notching a double-double as well with 11 boards. Mike Mitchell Jr. added 17 points

The Spartans jumped out to a seven point lead early and held a 9-5 advantage by the first media timeout. The next stretch of action on the court saw the Gophers fight back and keep it competitive as the teams traded the lead or tied it up five times with MSU taking the lead back thanks do a Carr dunk ahead of the U12 media break.

That dunk, following two free throws by Kohler, was the start of a 14-0 run by MSU, and eventual 25-10 run over the next 10 or so minutes of game action. The Spartans led by as much as 16 at their peak in the first half, pushing out that lead twice and last holding it with 5:14 remaining off a bucket by Richardson.

The Gophers started to find a rhythm down the final stretch and cut their deficit some, but not by much, trimming it to within 11 with just over three minutes remaining. By the buzzer, Michigan State led 42-30.

MSU was led in scoring in the first half with nine points by Akins and just behind him Carr added eight. Kohler also had tallied seven rebounds by the first half buzzer while nine Spartans had points on the board overall.

The second half saw a scoring bonanza for Michigan State fans from beyond the arc. A team that had been struggling from deep shot a blistering 70% from 3-point range. Anytime Minnesota tried to get something going, including shots from deep of its own, MSU answered right back.

The Spartans never let the Gophers get it within single digits, and eventually pushed it out to a 20-point lead multiple times late. That was helped by an 11-4 run sparked by Holloman with 8:24 remaining.

By the final buzzer, Michigan State dribbled it out as time expired and headed home with a double-digit win. The Spartans continue early Big Ten play with a visit from 6-1 Nebraska on Saturday.

The game at the Breslin Center will mark a start to league play for the Huskers who are off all week. Start time is set for noon with the game being broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

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