ACC/BiG Ten Basketball Challenge Games

No. 22 Michigan State Beats Louisville, 73-64, in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Credit Source: Michigan State University Athletics

East Lansing, Mich. – Junior forward Malik Hall (Aurora, Ill./Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]) scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures and No. 22 Michigan State used a big run in the second half to hold on for a 73-64 win over Louisville in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday night at the Breslin Center.

Hall scored eight of his 15 points in the second half and grabbed four rebounds to lead the Spartans, while freshman guard Max Christie (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) had 11 points, senior forward Gabe Brown (Ypsilanti, Mich./Belleville) added 10 points and five rebounds and freshman guard Jaden Akins (Farmington, Mich./Farmington Hills/Sunrise Christian Academy [Kan.]) chipped in 10 points.

Junior guard Tyson Walker (Westbury, N.Y./Christ the King/Northeastern) only had two points, but handed out a career-high 10 assists, blocked a shot and had four steals.

Recap

• Leading 39-37 early in the second half after Louisville cut Michigan State’s 36-28 halftime lead to two points, the Spartans used a 24-6 run over a span of nearly seven minutes and took a 63-43 lead on a pair of free throws from sophomore guard J. Hoggard (Coatesville, Pa./Huntington Prep [W.Va.]) with 7:54 left.
• The Cardinals made a 19-7 run in the next six minutes and pulled to within 70-62 on a layup from Eli Ellis with 1:26 to play, but that was as close as they would get.
• Hoggard hit a free throw and Christie added two more in the final minute to seal the win.
• Michigan State led by eight points, 36-28, at the break, but Louisville pulled to within two points, 39-37, on a jumper from Jarrod West at the 16:17 mark.
• The Spartans responded with a 13-2 run over a span of 2:01 and took a 52-39 lead on a 3-pointer from Hall with 12:24 to play, as Louisville called a timeout.
• The opening minutes of the first half were sluggish as the teams combined for 16 turnovers in the first 16 minutes.
• Louisville took a 22-21 lead on a 3-pointer from Jarrod West with 5:40 to play, the last of five lead changes in the opening 20 minutes.
• The Spartans began to limit turnovers – committing just one in the final four minutes of the first half – and used a 9-0 run to take a 30-22 lead on a trio of 3-pointers from Hall, Christie and the last from freshman guard Pierre Brooks (Detroit, Mich./Frederick Douglass Academy)with 4:08 left and forcing Louisville to call a timeout.
• The Cardinals pulled to within 32-28 on a jumper from Dre Davis, but Bingham hit a pair of free throws with 1:34 and a dunk with 12 seconds left to give MSU a 36-28 lead.

 

Key Stats

• Michigan State connected on a season-high 10 3-pointers and shot 55.6 percent from outside the arc (10-of-18).
• The Spartans shot 46.9 percent from the floor overall (23-of-49).
• Behind 10 from Tyson Walker, the Spartans handed out 20 assists on 23 made field goals (67.0%).
• MSU committed 19 turnovers and Louisville scored 21 points off those turnovers, including 15 in the second half when a 20-point lead was trimmed to 10 points in the final minutes.
• The Spartans out-rebounded Louisville, 37-31, including 19-14 in the second half.
• MSU’s bench accounted for 39 of its 73 points (53.4%).

 

Notes

• The all-time series between the teams is now even at six wins apiece.
• The Spartans are 4-0 all-time against the Cardinals at home.
• The teams are 1-1 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
• Michigan State now has an all-time record of 9-12 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
• Malik Hall scored 15 points to lead the Spartans, his third game in double figures this year.
• Max Christie scored 11 points, his third game in double figures this year.
• Freshman guard Jaden Akins scored 10 points, his second-straight game in double figures.
• Senior forward Gabe Brown scored 10 points, his seventh game in double figures this year.
• Junior guard Tyson Walker handed out 10 assists, the most for a Michigan State player since Cassius Winston handed out 11 against Binghamton on November 10, 2019.
• The 10 assists were also a career high for Walker, bettering the mark he had of nine set last year when he was at Northeastern against Hofstra.
• Senior forward Marcus Bingham Jr. tied his career-high with 12 rebounds.

 

Up Next

Michigan State plays the second of two-straight home games on Saturday, Dec. 4, hosting Toledo at the Breslin Center. The game airs live on BTN at 5 p.m., with Cory Provus and Brian Butch calling all of the action.

Wisconsin women’s basketball team fell to Virginia Tech, 70-60

Credit Source: University of Wisconsin Athletics

MADISON, Wis. — Facing one of the nation’s top teams in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the Wisconsin women’s basketball team fell to Virginia Tech, 70-60, in a hard-fought contest Wednesday night.

The Hokies (7-1), a team receiving votes in the national Associated Press and women’s basketball coaches’ polls, came out of the gate shooting lights out from the field, hitting 10-14 (71.4%), including 6-9 from (66.7%) the 3-point line, in the first quarter. Tech led 27-17 at the end of the first quarter before the Badger (2-6) defense turned up its play, allowing only one more 3-pointer the rest of the game.

The Badgers cut the lead to six (29-23) with 6:37 to play in the second quarter before VTU outscored Wisconsin 12-4 over the final six minutes to lead 41-27 at the half.

Wisconsin outscored the Hokies 33-29 in the second half, including 10-11 from the free-throw line, but it wasn’t enough as the Badgers dropped the contest.

Junior guard Sydney Hilliard led the way for the Badgers with 16 points but it was junior Sara Stapleton who had a big game both offensively and defensively. The forward netted 15 points while limiting Virginia Tech leading scorer Elizabeth Kitley to 13 points and three rebounds, well below her season averages of 20.6 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

As a team, Wisconsin had one of their best shooting outings of the season. UW shot 20-48 (41.7%) from the field and hit a season-high 94.4% (17-18) from the free-throw line. Stapleton was perfect from the line on the night, shooting 5-5, alongside Halle Douglass, who posted six points on 4-4 shooting from the free-throw line. Julie Pospisilova added 11 points.

The Hokies shot 50% (26-52) from the field, including 7-22 (31.8%) from 3-point range. Azana Baines was one of four Tech players to score in double figures with a game-high 19 points.

Both team recorded 27 rebounds with Wisconsin being led by Hilliard with eight boards.

The tough Badger defense forced 13 turnovers, tallying eight steals in the game with graduate veteran Katie Nelson swiping three of them. Pospisilova added two steals.

With the Badgers shutting down the Hokies’ top scorers, Virginia Tech had to turn to its bench for scoring and it came through. The Hokies outscored Wisconsin 29-13 in bench points on the night.

Straight from the court

Head Coach Marisa Moseley
“I’m extremely proud of my team this evening. We definitely have to give credit to Virginia Tech. They came in and they’re tough team in the ACC you but I think we showed some really great strides especially in those last two quarters. We outscored them and held them without a field goal for about three minutes at the end of the game.

“I think offensively for us our execution the second half was much better and I’m proud of our kids with our rebounding. We tied them in rebounding which has been an area that we definitely want to focus on. I think we still have to be able to take more shots and we can’t go stretches like we did in that first quarter when we got down so much. I’m really proud of the teams’ effort and I think we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”

Notes to know

• Sophomore Brooke Schramek tied her career high with three assists.
• The Badgers shot a season-best 17-18 (94.4%) from the free-throw line, which ranks ninth on the UW single-game record list. Junior Sara Stapleton led Wisconsin with a career-best 5-5 from the line while Halle Douglass shot a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe.
• Virginia Tech pulled down an opponent season-low 27 rebounds, nearly 13 fewer rebounds than its season average of 41.7 rebounds per game. The Hokies also dished off just 12 assists, more than five below their season average 17.6 assists per game.

Up next

Wisconsin kicks off Big Ten Conference play when it travels to Northwestern on Sunday. Tip off against the Wildcats is scheduled for 2 p.m. from Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois. The game will be streamed on B1G+.

No. 23 Wisconsin’s 70-66 win at Georgia Tech

ATLANTA – Final box score and updated season stats are attached following No. 23 Wisconsin’s 70-66 win at Georgia Tech as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday night in Atlanta.

Credit Source: University of Wisconsin Athletics

TEAM NOTES

• Wisconsin improved to 6-1 for the second straight season and the third time in the last four years.
• Head coach Greg Gard improved his overall record to 125-71 (.638).
  • The Badgers are 46-17 (.730) all-time in non-conference play under Gard.
• Wisconsin improved to 12-11 all-time in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, matching Minnesota and Purdue for the most wins among Big Ten teams.
  • UW is now 4-2 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge under Greg Gard.
  • The Badgers moved to 5-8 away from home in the challenge.
  • Wisconsin is also 1 of just 3 Big Ten teams with a winning record in Challenge games along with Minnesota and Purdue.
• Including 3 neutral site wins, the Badgers have now posted 4 wins away from home this season.

 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Senior G Brad Davison scored a season-high 27 points, three shy of his career high. Davison knocked down a season-best 5 3-pointers, going 5-for-7 from the floor.
  • Davison topped the 20 mark for the second time this season and the 12th time in his career.
• Sophomore Johnny Davis scored 15 points to go with 6 rebounds and 5 assists.
  • Davis has scored at least 15 points in all 6 games he has played this season, averaging a team-best 19.3 ppg on the year.

Buckeyes Fall in Road Opener in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

Credit Source: Ohio State University Athletics

The No. 18/20 Buckeyes suffered their first loss of the season on Wednesday night.

   SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The No. 18/20 Buckeyes (5-1) suffered their first loss of the season at Syracuse (4-4) by a 97-91 margin in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday night.

Taylor Mikesell recorded her first 20-point game in the Scarlet and Gray, finishing with 21 points. Jacy Sheldon led the OSU offense with 23 points, her third 20-point game of the season. Rebeka Mikulášiková scored in double figures for the fifth-consecutive game.

How it Happened 

Syracuse scored the first points of the game with a three-pointer. Rebeka Mikulášiková opened scoring for the Buckeyes as OSU scored the next 13 points to take a 13-3 lead and force a Syracuse timeout midway through the first quarter. The Orange went on a 9-0 run to trim the lead to 15-12 with just under two minutes to play in the first quarter. Ohio State held the 23-17 advantage after 10 minutes.

The teams traded baskets to begin the second quarter. The Orange used a 7-0 run to take a 29-27 lead, its first since leading 3-0, midway through the quarter. The Buckeyes scored eight-unanswered points to take a 39-33 lead with 1:22 to play in the half and led 39-36 going into the locker room.

The Orange opened the half with six-straight points to take a 42-39 lead two minutes into the third quarter and force a Buckeyes timeout. OSU took the lead back on Taylor Mikesell’s third triple of the game but back-to-back Syracuse baskets gave the home team the 48-46 lead at the media timeout. After the Buckeyes took a 50-48, neither team scored consecutive baskets until a 7-0 Syracuse run gave the Orange its largest lead of the game, 63-57. Syracuse led by a 65-58 margin after 30 minutes.

Syracuse opened fourth-quarter scoring, but Rikki Harris responded with a three-pointer for the next points on the floor. The Buckeyes trailed by nine, 76-67, at the media timeout. The Orange made 17 free throws in the final four minutes to extend its lead to 97-88 to end the night.

Game Notes 

• Taylor Mikesell recorded her first 20-point game as a Buckeye, also sinking a career-high five triples.
• Sheldon recorded her third 20-point game of the season, totaling 21 points.
• Rebeka Mikulášiková reached double figures for the fifth-straight game, doing so with 11 points in the first quarter. She finished with 16 points.
• Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon both scored in double figures to continue their streaks of double-figure scoring in each game this season.
• Mikesell has at least four three-pointers in five of six games this season.
• Tanaya Beacham scored in double figures for the second time this season, totaling 11 points.
• Q1: After Syracuse’s first basket, the Buckeyes’ defense held the Orange off the board for nearly five minutes.
• Q1: Ohio State shot 55.6 percent from the floor and tallied eight points off six forced turnovers.
• H1: The Buckeyes led in rebounds, 24-16, and assists, 9-6, during the first half.
• Ohio State out-rebounded Syracuse by a 39-33 mark.

What They Said 

Head Coach Kevin McGuff 

On Ohio State’s game:  

“We had a chance I thought, in the beginning we started out, we played really hard, we were together. We were really competing and then we quit doing those things. I think the biggest key is we gave them a lot of confidence early. I think we could’ve taken that from them if we kept playing as hard as we did to start the game.”

Up Next 

The Buckeyes open Big Ten play on the road on Sunday as they face Purdue. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. in a game broadcast live on B1G+ and AM 1460.

Nittany Lions Fall to Miami in Tight Big Ten/ACC Challenge Matchup

Harrar recorded third double-double of season on 16 points and 12 rebounds

Credit Source: Penn State University Athletics

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men’s basketball team fell to the Miami Hurricanes in a tight 63-58 matchup in the 2021 Big Ten/ACC Challenge Wednesday evening inside the Bryce Jordan Center.

The annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge game saw 11 lead changes and six tie scores, with no lead larger than eight by the Hurricanes. Both teams shot 43 percent from the field after shooting under 39 percent in the first half.

Graduate student John Harrar led all players on the floor with 16 points and 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season and ninth in his career.

Junior Seth Lundy added 14 points, a season-high eight rebounds and a block, while senior Myles Dread had nine points, all from beyond the arc.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Penn State jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead to start the game thanks to back-to-back layups by Lundy and Sessoms. Miami then heated up and hit all four attempts from beyond the arc to take a 12-10 edge after the first media timeout.
• It would stay a defensive battle through the under-8 media timeout as the Nittany Lions held the Hurricanes to just 2-of-10 from the field leading up to the break as the visitors stayed with a narrow 20-18 advantage.
• Turnovers plagued the Nittany Lions to end the first half, but good defense would keep them in the game down just six at the half, 29-23.
• Penn State opened the second half shooting 5-of-6 from the field, including a 5-0 run to start the stanza, to get within four, 38-34, at the under-16 media timeout.
• A 10-0 run, with six of those points coming from Harrar, then forced Miami to call timeout as Penn State took a 40-38 lead with 14 minutes remaining.
• That run would turn into a 15-2 run on 7-of-8 shooting over a five-plus-minute period as the Nittany Lions hit their largest lead of the game, 45-40.
• The Hurricanes answered that run to retake a 51-48 edge at the under-8 media timeout.
• From there, Miami would not let up the advantage for the remainder of the game. Penn State got within two, 60-58, with about 90 seconds remaining in regulation, but a Hurricane three off an offensive rebound would end up sealing the deal for the visitors.

GAME NOTES

• Penn State dominated the glass, outrebounding Miami, 38-27. The Nittany Lions have outrebounded their opponents in five of seven games this season and have grabbed at least 35 rebounds in every game.
• The Nittany Lion defense also controlled the paint, keeping the Hurricanes to 20 points in the paint, well under their season average of 32.6. Penn State also held Miami 10 points below its season-scoring average of 73.3.
• Graduate student John Harrar recorded his third double-double of the season and ninth of his career with 16 points and 12 rebounds, both game highs.
• Harrar shot a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor to tie his season high of 16 points, previously set in the season opener against Youngstown State (11/10/21).
• Harrar also reached and surpassed the 600 career rebounds mark in the first quarter of the contest.
• Junior Seth Lundy finished with 14 points and has scored in double digits in all but one game this season.

FROM THE SOURCE

Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry Press Conference: https://gopsusports.com/watch/?Archive=7340&type=Archive

Forward John Harrar Press Conference: https://gopsusports.com/watch/?Archive=7339&type=Archive

UP NEXT

Penn State remains home Sunday, Dec. 5 when the Nittany Lions open Big Ten Conference play against Ohio State. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from the Bryce Jordan Center and the game will air nationally on Big Ten Network.