Michigan grabs lead in Big Ten by topping MSU

Nik Stauskas scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half, and No. 20 Michigan topped No. 13 Michigan State 79-70 in a Big Ten battle Sunday in Ann Arbor. The result moved the Wolverines into first place in the conference.

Caris LeVert added 23 points and Glenn Robinson III 15 for Michigan (19-7, 11-3), which won both regular-season meetings against the rival Spartans (22-6, 11-4). The Wolverines, who committed only three turnovers, are 6-2 in the last eight games between the schools.

Michigan State led 22-11 midway through the first half before settling for a 36-34 edge at halftime. The Spartans still were clinging to a 52-51 lead midway through the second half before Michigan took control with a decisive 17-4 run.

Gary Harris had 21 points, Denzel Valentine 13 points and Adreian Payne 12 points and 11 rebounds for Michigan State, which lost despite shooting 54 percent (26-for-48).

Nebraska 76, Purdue 57

Terran Petteway scored 29 points, and the surging Cornhuskers (16-10, 8-6) used a 26-8 burst in the second half to pull away from the Boilermakers (15-12, 5-9) in Big Ten action in Lincoln, Neb.

Shavon Shields added 18 points and 10 rebounds for Nebraska, which has won five consecutive conference games for the first time since 199899, when it was in the Big 12.

Central Michigan 70, Northern Illinois 67

Braylon Rayson scored 19 points, Austin Stewart 16 and Chris Fowler 15, and the Chippewas (10-16, 3-11) overcame a 37-22 rebounding deficit to slip past the Huskies (12-14, 6-8) in Mid-American Conference play in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Aaric Armstead scored 19 points and Darrell Bowie 14 to lead NIU.