Northwestern turns it over in 2nd half

Tom Izzo walked out of Welsh-Ryan Arena "really disappointed" Saturday night.

Of course, you've got to understand Michigan State's longtime coach uses a Final Four curve when he grades.

That's why he felt right to be peeved even though the 10th-ranked Spartans streaked to a 77-66 Big Ten triumph over Northwestern before a sellout crowd of 8,117.

"We've been taking some steps forward and practicing well," Izzo said. "And we took a giant step backwards as far as what we did."

That blanket statement, by the way, doesn't cover the second half's first five minutes.

With the Wildcats leading by 1 point at the break, Michigan State (11-2, 2-0) started the second half with a 12-0 run as they hit 4 straight shots. Meanwhile, Northwestern (8-4, 0-2) turned over the ball on five of its first six possessions.

Considering the Wildcats had just 8 turnovers for the night, it was a frightening loss of composure.

Wildcats coach Bill Carmody used three timeouts - including one solely to earn a technical foul from official Mike Sanzere after an apparent missed traveling call - in an ill-fated effort to derail the Spartans.

"We were not able to stop them," Carmody said. "Our defense, that was troublesome to me because there were too many good looks. Even shots they missed."

The Spartans, who became the first NU opponent in 17 games to crack the 70-point barrier, shredded the Wildcats' zones with 9-of-16 shooting on 3-pointers - several from the corners where the zone doesn't reach.

Junior forward Raymar Morgan (22 points, 13 rebounds) entered the night with just 1 3-pointer this season, but he promptly swished 3-pointers from the same corner for the Spartans' first 2 baskets.

Sophomore shooting guard Chris Allen (17 points) added 4 3-pointers off the bench, while point guard Kalin Lucas delivered 14 of his 17 points and 6 of his 9 assists after halftime.

"Kalin Lucas played an unbelievable second half," Izzo said. "I told him at halftime great players are going to have bad halves. They just can't have bad games."

Especially with so many teammates to whom they can feed the ball.

"It's not like there's a 1-to-4, you can't rank them, really, on who's best to worst," said junior forward Kevin Coble, who led the Wildcats with 17 points and 4 rebounds. "It's (a scale of) who's incredible to who's very, very good."

And the Spartans who didn't score much made their presence felt on the boards. MSU crushed NU 47-28 in rebounds, which reinforced the Wildcats' 22-rebound deficit at Penn State on Wednesday.

"We've just got to figure out," Carmody said, 'are you not boxing out? Are we boxing out and not getting it? Are they scrapping more than we are to get the balls on the ground?

"Obviously, just the rebounding thing is the most essential thing for me right now."