EAST LANSING, MI – Jasiah Jervis scored eight points during a 17–0 first-half run, and No. 6 Michigan State turned a dominant night on the glass into a 91–61 win over Toledo on Thursday at the Breslin Center.
Jervis finished with a game-high 16 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including 4-for-7 from 3-point range. All five Michigan State starters scored at least nine points as the Spartans improved to 2–0 following Monday’s 96–59 win over Quinnipiac. Toledo fell to 0–2.
After two early turnovers by Anton Bonke, Michigan State erased a 2–0 deficit with 17 straight points. Jervis hit two 3-pointers and made two free throws during the run, capping it with a three off a Jordan Scott offensive rebound with 15:44 left in the first half. Jervis had 13 points by halftime and made all three of his first-half attempts from deep.
The Spartans led 48–25 at the break after shooting 14-for-25 from the floor and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Toledo shot 8-for-32 in the half, including 3-for-14 from three. Michigan State reached the line 24 times before halftime, making 15.
Toledo improved to 44% shooting in the second half, but Michigan State still outscored the Rockets 43–36 after the break and stretched its lead to 33. Both teams finished with 57 field-goal attempts. The Spartans made 29 to Toledo’s 19 and hit twice as many 3-pointers, finishing 10-for-24 to the Rockets’ 5-for-21.
Fears finished with 12 points and nine assists after posting 13 points and 11 assists in the opener. He had six assists by halftime, and Michigan State assisted on 22 of its 29 baskets. Scott added 12 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while Coen Carr scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Bonke settled in after the early turnovers and finished with nine points and seven rebounds in 13 minutes. Four of his rebounds came on the offensive end. The Spartans pulled down 16 offensive boards and scored 27 second-chance points, while their reserves supplied 32 points. Kaleb Glenn and Ethan Taylor each scored eight off the bench, and Jesse McCulloch made all three of his shots for six points in his season debut.
Michigan State held Toledo to 33.3% shooting and forced 12 turnovers. The Spartans committed 14 of their own and went 23-for-38 at the free-throw line, leaving 15 points there despite shooting 50.9% from the field and 41.7% from three.
Michigan State next faces No. 2 Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the United Center in Chicago. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT).
