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Akins scores 18 points, Cooper has career-high 13 as No. 18 Michigan St beats Western Michigan 80-62

AP
Dec 30, 2024

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Jaden Akins scored 11 of his 18 points in the first half, helping No. 18 Michigan State build a double-digit lead to set up an 80-62 win over Western Michigan on Monday.

The Spartans (11-2) have won six in a row and nine of 10.

The Broncos (3-9) were competitive in stretches of the game before falling behind by double digits midway through the second half.

Michigan State's Carson Cooper scored a career-high 13 points.

Western Michigan's Chansey Willis scored 12 points and Max Burton had 10.

The game marked the return of Dwayne Stephens, who was hired off Tom Izzo's staff in 2022. Stephens was an assistant for the Hall of Fame coach for 19 seasons and played for the Spartans under the late Jud Heathcote.

Western Michigan: In Stephens' third season, the Broncos can build confidence after starting strong in each half. They led Michigan State 11-5 and scored the first 10 points after halftime.

Michigan State: Cooper and Szymon Zapala (eight points and nine rebounds) made up for Xavier Booker's lack of production. Booker scored just two points for the second straight game after scoring in double figures in four consecutive games, capping the run with a career-high 18 against Oakland.

Cooper's alley-oop dunk midway through the second half put the Spartans ahead by eight and they pulled away for the 18-point win.

The Spartans had almost as many turnovers (11) as field goals in the first half and finished with 17 turnovers, stunting their ability to turn the game into a rout until the final minutes.

Michigan State plays at Ohio State on Friday night. Western Michigan hosts Toledo in its Mid-American Conference opener on Saturday.

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Follow Larry Lage at https://apnews.com/author/larry-lage

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1st Half
WMU
Broncos
24
MIST
Spartans
37

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Jeremy Fears Jr. gains possession)
19:49	+3	Tre Holloman makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	0-3
19:21	+3	Brandon Muntu makes three point jump shot (Markhi Strickland assists)	3-3
19:04		Jaxon Kohler misses three point jump shot
19:02		Chansey Willis Jr. defensive rebound
18:43		Owen Lobsinger misses three point jump shot
18:41		Jaden Akins defensive rebound
18:34		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover (Markhi Strickland steals)
18:28	+2	Markhi Strickland makes two point layup	5-3
18:01		Tre Holloman turnover
17:52		Max Burton offensive foul
17:52		Max Burton turnover (offensive foul)
17:33		Jaden Akins misses two point layup
17:31		Jaxon Kohler offensive rebound
17:31		Jaxon Kohler misses two point layup
17:29		Broncos defensive rebound
17:08	+3	Brandon Muntu makes three point jump shot (Max Burton assists)	8-3
16:44		Carson Cooper misses two point layup
16:42		Chansey Willis Jr. defensive rebound
16:23		Owen Lobsinger misses three point jump shot
16:22		Max Burton offensive rebound
16:22		Brandon Muntu misses three point jump shot
16:22		Markhi Strickland offensive rebound
16:22		Carson Cooper blocks Markhi Strickland's two point layup
16:22		Broncos offensive rebound
16:06		JaVaughn Hannah misses two point jump shot
16:04		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
15:49		Owen Lobsinger shooting foul
15:49		TV timeout
15:49	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 1 of 2	8-4
15:49	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 2 of 2	8-5
15:35		Carson Cooper blocks Seryee Lewis's two point jump shot
15:33		Seryee Lewis offensive rebound
15:30		Carson Cooper personal foul
15:15	+3	JaVaughn Hannah makes three point jump shot (Owen Lobsinger assists)	11-5
15:06		Coen Carr misses two point layup
15:04		Owen Lobsinger defensive rebound
14:54		Owen Lobsinger turnover (Coen Carr steals)
14:47	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point dunk (Tre Holloman assists)	11-7
14:25		Chansey Willis Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:23		Coen Carr defensive rebound
13:54	+3	Tre Holloman makes three point jump shot (Xavier Booker assists)	11-10
13:23		Owen Lobsinger misses three point jump shot
13:21		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
13:21		Seryee Lewis personal foul
13:13		Jase Richardson turnover (bad pass)
13:01		Marquese Josephs turnover (traveling)
12:53	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point layup	11-12
12:51		Marquese Josephs shooting foul
12:51	+1	Jase Richardson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	11-13
12:31		Markhi Strickland turnover (Frankie Fidler steals)
12:23	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point layup (Jase Richardson assists)	11-15
12:13		JaVaughn Hannah turnover (bad pass)
12:00		Frankie Fidler misses two point jump shot
11:58		Donovan Williams defensive rebound
11:56		Frankie Fidler blocks Donovan Williams's two point layup
11:55		Broncos offensive rebound
11:53		TV timeout
11:42		Donovan Williams misses three point jump shot
11:40		Jeremy Fears Jr. defensive rebound
11:35		Chansey Willis Jr. shooting foul (Jeremy Fears Jr. draws the foul)
11:35		Jeremy Fears Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
11:35		Dwayne Stephens technical foul
11:35	+1	Frankie Fidler makes technical free throw 1 of 2	11-16
11:35	+1	Frankie Fidler makes technical free throw 2 of 2	11-17
11:35	+1	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2	11-18
11:12		Coen Carr blocks JaVaughn Hannah's two point layup
11:10		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
10:59		Donovan Williams blocks Jeremy Fears Jr.'s two point layup
10:57		Max Burton defensive rebound
10:49	+2	Chansey Willis Jr. makes two point jump shot	13-18
10:32		Jaden Akins turnover (Chansey Willis Jr. steals)
10:23		Coen Carr personal foul
10:12	+2	Seryee Lewis makes two point jump shot	15-18
9:56	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point jump shot	15-20
9:44	+2	Markhi Strickland makes two point jump shot	17-20
9:25		Jaden Akins turnover (bad pass)
9:10		Chansey Willis Jr. misses three point jump shot
9:08		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
9:04	+3	Jaden Akins makes three point jump shot (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	17-23
8:47		Szymon Zapala shooting foul (Seryee Lewis draws the foul)
8:47		Seryee Lewis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:47	+1	Seryee Lewis makes regular free throw 2 of 2	18-23
8:37		Xavier Booker misses three point jump shot
8:35		Owen Lobsinger defensive rebound
8:28		Seryee Lewis turnover (traveling)
8:10		Xavier Booker turnover (Owen Lobsinger steals)
7:52		Owen Lobsinger misses three point jump shot
7:50		JaVaughn Hannah offensive rebound
7:45		JaVaughn Hannah misses two point jump shot
7:43		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
7:31	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point jump shot	18-25
7:18		Max Burton turnover (Jeremy Fears Jr. steals)
7:13	+2	Xavier Booker makes two point dunk (Jase Richardson assists)	18-27
7:13		Broncos 30 second timeout
7:13		TV timeout
6:42	+2	EJ Ryans makes two point jump shot	20-27
6:34		Carson Cooper turnover (lost ball)
6:17		Owen Lobsinger misses three point jump shot
6:15		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
6:08		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
6:06		Owen Lobsinger defensive rebound
5:43	+2	Max Burton makes two point layup (Owen Lobsinger assists)	22-27
5:30	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point jump shot (Tre Holloman assists)	22-29
4:59		JaVaughn Hannah misses three point jump shot
4:57		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
4:49		Jaxon Kohler misses three point jump shot
4:47		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
4:42	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point layup	22-31
4:20		Brandon Muntu misses three point jump shot
4:18		Jaxon Kohler defensive rebound
4:02	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Tre Holloman assists)	22-33
3:32		JaVaughn Hannah misses three point jump shot
3:30		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
3:22		Jaxon Kohler misses two point layup
3:20		Broncos defensive rebound
3:20		TV timeout
3:09		Markhi Strickland turnover (traveling)
2:58		Frankie Fidler turnover (traveling)
2:23		Broncos turnover (shot clock violation)
2:12		Spartans turnover (5-second violation)
1:43		Markhi Strickland misses three point jump shot
1:41		Frankie Fidler defensive rebound
1:35		Frankie Fidler turnover (Chansey Willis Jr. steals)
1:28	+2	Chansey Willis Jr. makes two point layup	24-33
1:20		Frankie Fidler misses three point jump shot
1:18		Broncos defensive rebound
0:55		Seryee Lewis misses two point jump shot
0:53		Jaden Akins defensive rebound
0:52		Donovan Williams personal foul
0:52	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	24-34
0:52	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	24-35
0:52		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:40		Jeremy Fears Jr. personal foul (Chansey Willis Jr. draws the foul)
0:40		Chansey Willis Jr. technical foul
0:40		Chansey Willis Jr. turnover
0:40		Jeremy Fears Jr. technical foul
0:40		Jeremy Fears Jr. turnover
0:22		Chansey Willis Jr. turnover (Jase Richardson steals)
0:02		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
0:00		Szymon Zapala offensive rebound
0:00	+2	Szymon Zapala makes two point tip layup	24-37
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
WMU
Broncos
38
MIST
Spartans
43

Time		Play	Score
19:39	+2	Max Burton makes two point layup (Markhi Strickland assists)	26-37
19:39		Tre Holloman shooting foul (Max Burton draws the foul)
19:39		Max Burton misses regular free throw 1 of 1
19:39		Owen Lobsinger offensive rebound
19:34	+3	Chansey Willis Jr. makes three point jump shot (Brandon Muntu assists)	29-37
19:12		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
19:10		Markhi Strickland defensive rebound
19:04	+2	Markhi Strickland makes two point layup (Chansey Willis Jr. assists)	31-37
18:36		Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot
18:34		Owen Lobsinger defensive rebound
18:28		Owen Lobsinger offensive foul
18:28		Owen Lobsinger turnover (offensive foul)
18:15		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
18:13		Brandon Muntu defensive rebound
18:05		Markhi Strickland misses two point jump shot
18:03		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
17:57		Tre Holloman misses three point jump shot
17:55		Chansey Willis Jr. defensive rebound
17:41	+3	Owen Lobsinger makes three point jump shot (Brandon Muntu assists)	34-37
17:28	+2	Szymon Zapala makes two point layup (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	34-39
17:04		Owen Lobsinger misses two point jump shot
17:02		Tre Holloman defensive rebound
16:57	+3	Jaden Akins makes three point jump shot (Tre Holloman assists)	34-42
16:24	+3	Chansey Willis Jr. makes three point jump shot	37-42
16:09	+2	Szymon Zapala makes two point layup (Tre Holloman assists)	37-44
16:01	+2	Markhi Strickland makes two point layup (Chansey Willis Jr. assists)	39-44
16:01		Szymon Zapala shooting foul (Chansey Willis Jr. draws the foul)
16:01		Markhi Strickland misses regular free throw 1 of 1
16:01		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
15:49		Tre Holloman misses two point layup
15:47		Owen Lobsinger defensive rebound
15:35		Chansey Willis Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:33		Coen Carr defensive rebound
15:21		Xavier Booker misses three point jump shot
15:19		Carson Cooper offensive rebound
15:15	+3	Tre Holloman makes three point jump shot (Jase Richardson assists)	39-47
14:57		Xavier Booker shooting foul (Seryee Lewis draws the foul)
14:57		TV timeout
14:57		Seryee Lewis misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:57		Seryee Lewis misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:57		Xavier Booker defensive rebound
14:51		Xavier Booker turnover (lost ball) (Brandon Muntu steals)
14:47		Jase Richardson shooting foul (Donovan Williams draws the foul)
14:47	+1	Donovan Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	40-47
14:47	+1	Donovan Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	41-47
14:25		Jase Richardson turnover (traveling)
14:04		Seryee Lewis turnover (bad pass) (Frankie Fidler steals)
14:00	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Jase Richardson assists)	41-49
13:36		Seryee Lewis misses two point jump shot
13:34		Xavier Booker defensive rebound
13:20		EJ Ryans personal foul
13:18		Carson Cooper turnover (bad pass) (JaVaughn Hannah steals)
13:09		Xavier Booker shooting foul (Donovan Williams draws the foul)
13:09	+1	Donovan Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-49
13:09	+1	Donovan Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-49
12:48		Markhi Strickland personal foul
12:44		Frankie Fidler misses two point jump shot
12:42		Donovan Williams defensive rebound
12:37		Xavier Booker blocks JaVaughn Hannah's two point layup
12:35		Broncos offensive rebound
12:14		Markhi Strickland misses three point jump shot
12:12		Jase Richardson defensive rebound
12:07		Xavier Booker misses three point jump shot
12:05		Chansey Willis Jr. defensive rebound
11:56	+2	Chansey Willis Jr. makes two point jump shot	45-49
11:43	+2	Frankie Fidler makes two point layup	45-51
11:15		Markhi Strickland turnover (traveling)
11:15		TV timeout
11:07		Donovan Williams shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
11:07	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 2	45-52
11:07	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-53
10:51	+2	JaVaughn Hannah makes two point layup (Chansey Willis Jr. assists)	47-53
10:30	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	47-55
10:30		Markhi Strickland shooting foul (Carson Cooper draws the foul)
10:30	+1	Carson Cooper makes regular free throw 1 of 1	47-56
10:05		JaVaughn Hannah misses two point jump shot
10:03		Chansey Willis Jr. offensive rebound
9:58		Owen Lobsinger turnover (lost ball) (Szymon Zapala steals)
9:50		Owen Lobsinger blocks Frankie Fidler's two point layup
9:48		Chansey Willis Jr. defensive rebound
9:46		Chansey Willis Jr. turnover (carrying)
9:34		Jaden Akins misses two point layup
9:32		Szymon Zapala offensive rebound
9:28	+2	Szymon Zapala makes two point jump shot	47-58
9:27		Broncos 30 second timeout
9:27		TV timeout
8:59		Broncos turnover (shot clock violation)
8:49		Tre Holloman turnover (bad pass)
8:28	+2	Owen Lobsinger makes two point layup	49-58
8:10		Jaden Akins misses three point jump shot
8:08		Chansey Willis Jr. defensive rebound
8:03		Jeremy Fears Jr. shooting foul (Chansey Willis Jr. draws the foul)
8:03		Chansey Willis Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
8:03		Chansey Willis Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:03		Frankie Fidler defensive rebound
7:49		Max Burton shooting foul (Jaxon Kohler draws the foul)
7:49		TV timeout
7:49		Jaxon Kohler misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:49	+1	Jaxon Kohler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	49-59
7:26	+3	Owen Lobsinger makes three point jump shot (Chansey Willis Jr. assists)	52-59
7:03		Jaxon Kohler turnover (lost ball) (JaVaughn Hannah steals)
6:35		Tre Holloman personal foul (Markhi Strickland draws the foul)
6:35		Markhi Strickland misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:35		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
6:29		Markhi Strickland shooting foul (Frankie Fidler draws the foul)
6:29	+1	Frankie Fidler makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-60
6:29	+1	Frankie Fidler makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-61
6:07		Coen Carr blocks Owen Lobsinger's two point layup
6:05		Tre Holloman defensive rebound
5:59	+2	Jase Richardson makes two point layup (Tre Holloman assists)	52-63
5:40		Chansey Willis Jr. misses two point jump shot
5:38		JaVaughn Hannah offensive rebound
5:20		JaVaughn Hannah misses two point jump shot
5:18		Szymon Zapala defensive rebound
5:13		Frankie Fidler misses three point jump shot
5:11		Szymon Zapala offensive rebound
5:09		Szymon Zapala misses two point jump shot
5:07		Szymon Zapala offensive rebound
5:06		Szymon Zapala misses two point jump shot
5:04		Coen Carr offensive rebound
5:04		Brandon Muntu shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
5:04	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 2	52-64
5:04	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 2 of 2	52-65
4:53	+2	Max Burton makes two point layup (Chansey Willis Jr. assists)	54-65
4:25		Coen Carr turnover (bad pass) (Brandon Muntu steals)
4:20		Coen Carr shooting foul (Donovan Williams draws the foul)
4:20	+1	Donovan Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-65
4:20	+1	Donovan Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-65
3:58	+2	Jeremy Fears Jr. makes two point jump shot (Jaden Akins assists)	56-67
3:46		Carson Cooper shooting foul (Chansey Willis Jr. draws the foul)
3:46		TV timeout
3:46		Chansey Willis Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2
3:46		Chansey Willis Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
3:46		Coen Carr defensive rebound
3:32		Donovan Williams shooting foul (Jaden Akins draws the foul)
3:32	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-68
3:32	+1	Jaden Akins makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-69
3:13		Jase Richardson blocks Brandon Muntu's two point layup
3:11		Coen Carr defensive rebound
3:08	+2	Jaden Akins makes two point layup (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	56-71
2:44		Owen Lobsinger misses three point jump shot
2:42		Carson Cooper defensive rebound
2:35		JaVaughn Hannah shooting foul (Coen Carr draws the foul)
2:35	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 1 of 2	56-72
2:35	+1	Coen Carr makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-73
2:16	+2	Max Burton makes two point dunk (Chansey Willis Jr. assists)	58-73
1:56	+3	Coen Carr makes three point jump shot (Jase Richardson assists)	58-76
1:35	+2	Max Burton makes two point jump shot (JaVaughn Hannah assists)	60-76
1:15	+2	Carson Cooper makes two point dunk (Jeremy Fears Jr. assists)	60-78
1:15		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:48		Hutch Ward misses two point jump shot
0:46		Kur Teng defensive rebound
0:45		Spartans 30 second timeout
0:35	+2	Nick Sanders makes two point jump shot (Gehrig Normand assists)	60-80
0:19		Marquese Josephs misses two point jump shot
0:17		Michael Sulaka offensive rebound
0:13	+2	Michael Sulaka makes two point layup	62-80
0:00		End of period

+ 2

Michael Sulaka makes two point layup