EAST LANSING — Tom Izzo worried about where Michigan State basketball’s focus might be against Oakland.
Almost immediately, he yanked starting point guard Cassius Winston after a casual turnover, not even 3 minutes into the game.
Message sent. Message received.
The Spartans dialed in after that and played turnover-free basketball for the final 17:27 of the opening half, sharing the ball at a high volume and hitting shots from long distance. No. 10 MSU pulled away to a 99-69 win Friday night at Breslin Center.
Winston recovered and finished with 26 points on 10 of 13 shooting, including 4 of 7 3-pointers.