Wagner’s hot hand lifts Wolverines over Spartans

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Moritz Wagner scored a career-high 27 points, lifting Michigan to an 82-72 victory over fourth-ranked Michigan State in a Big Ten game on Saturday.

Wagner made 8 of 13 shots, including 3 of 4 three-pointers, and he shot over and drove past every player who attempted to defend him, all while playing through a lingering ankle injury.

After the Spartans took their last lead, on two free throws by Jaren Jackson that made it 55-54 at the 8:31 mark, Wagner and Zavier Simpson carried the Wolverines (15-4, 4-2) to the finish line.

Wagner followed Jackson’s free throws with a three-pointer, with the assist by Simpson, and also added a jumper, a layup and a 4-of-4 showing at the line as Michigan pushed the lead to 75-65 with 1:14 to play. Simpson, who finished with 16 points, hit a layup, a jumper and made 3 of 3 free throws down the stretch.

The Spartans (16-3, 4-2) suddenly are struggling, losing two of three games with an overtime win over Rutgers in between the setbacks.

“We have to do some soul-searching,” coach Tom Izzo said.

Miles Bridges finished with 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals, but he also had four of Michigan State’s 18 turnovers that Michigan converted into 26 points.

Jackson had 19 points and six blocks for the Spartans, despite being limited by foul trouble. Gahanna’s Nick Ward had only four points with three turnovers while being outplayed by Wagner.

NO. 5 PURDUE 81, MINNESOTA 47: Vincent Edwards scored 25 points in 29 minutes for Purdue (17-2, 6-0), which took control with a 23-4 run in the first half and easily beat undermanned Minnesota (13-6, 2-4) for its 13th consecutive victory. Edwards made four of his five three-pointers and had 20 points by halftime as Purdue led 40-27, and he spent much of the second half on the bench with the game well in hand. The Boilermakers, off to their best Big Ten start since going 8-0 in 1989-90, finished with 24 assists and only 11 turnovers.

Jordan Murphy had 10 points for the Golden Gophers, who have gone 0-3 since center Reggie Lynch was suspended and small forward Amir Coffey was sidelined by a shoulder injury. They suffered their second-worst home defeat in program history, behind only a 90-51 loss to No. 1 UCLA on Dec. 20, 1968. Minnesota shot a season-low 28.8 percent and was outrebounded 46-29.