EAST LANSING — Tom Izzo implored his Michigan State players to avoid turnovers. He also really wanted Vernon Carey to be a Spartan.
Neither thing happened.
No. 8 Duke took advantage of miscues by No. 12 MSU early. The Spartans’ giveaways turning into breakaway points the other way, their struggles at the free-throw line costing them easy points.
Then freshman big man Carey took over in the second half, exploiting MSU’s thin interior for 26 points and 11 rebounds while exposing the Spartans to a 87-75 loss in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Tuesday at Breslin Center.