College Basketball

Malik Hall ties career high as Michigan State routs Penn State, 92-61

Published Jan. 4, 2024 10:13 p.m. ET

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 Ten 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.

Michigan State travels to play at Northwestern Sunday. Penn State travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan Sunday.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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