EAST LANSING — Gabe Brown’s first possession set the tone for his first start of the season.
Tom Izzo hopes it sets the stage for more from consistency from the Michigan State basketball junior.
Brown caught a pass from Aaron Henry 31 seconds into Friday afternoon’s game, rose in rhythm and swished a 3-pointer. It was the first of four from behind the arc for Brown, whose 16 points helped the 12th-ranked Spartans avoid an upset with an 83-76 victory over Detroit Mercy.
The 6-foot-7 swingman scored 10 points after halftime, including a 3-pointer with 2:52 to play that quelled a Titan surge and another with 23.