EAST LANSING, Mich. ???C Senior Brandon Cassise scored a game-high 20 points, and junior Derick Nelson posted 19 points and nine rebounds, but it was not enough as the 10th-ranked Michigan State Spartans (4-1) defeated Oakland University (2-3), 75-71, in the Breslin Center on Saturday in men???s basketball action. Sophomore Johnathon Jones added 10 points, a season-high seven assists and no turnovers for the Golden Grizzlies.

???Michigan State sets the bar for basketball in the state of Michigan right now and we hung tough with them,??? said head coach Greg Kampe. ???We did not knock down shots today and we were still there. Our strength is rebounding and defense and they beat us with their strength, rebounding.???

Oakland led by as many as seven points in the first half, on the strength of three 3-pointers by Cassise. The Spartans responded on the offensive glass, grabbing six in the first 20 minutes, including six second chance points over the final five to take a 33-27 lead at the break.

The Grizzlies got within three, 42-39, at the 16:02 minute mark after a layup by Nelson. The Spartans used a 9-5 run to extend their lead back to seven points, 51-44, at the midway point of the second half. OU had a great chance to cut the lead to one point as Cassise got two great looks from three, but the ball would not drop and the Grizzlies were forced to foul down the stretch.

With MSU leading by three with 34 seconds left, Drew Neitzel made a pair of free throws to close out the game for the Spartans in a four-point victory. MSU???s Goran Suton recorded a game-high 20 rebounds and scored 15 points for the only double-double in the game.

Oakland was outrebounded by Michigan State, 41-33, and each team grabbed 20 offensive boards. The Grizzlies shot just 22 percent from behind the arc (6-for-27), while the Spartans outscored OU 23-9 from the charity stripe.

The Golden Grizzlies will travel to Xavier University (3-1) on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and will be televised on regional Fox Sports Net. The game can also be followed on the student radio station, WXOU (88.3 FM), by Corey Hagood and Adam Roberts.

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