(Photo11: Rey Del Rio, Getty Images)
East Lansing — For about 20 minutes on Wednesday night, Michigan State looked like it was still processing that it would have to play for the foreseeable future without center Nick Ward.
The Spartans were out of sorts, missing easy shots and turning the ball over on their way to trailing Rutgers by double digits in the first half as the Scarlet Knights were the aggressor.
But like No. 10 Michigan State did on Sunday when it came alive in the second half against Ohio State, it did so once again against Rutgers to rally for a 71-60 victory at Breslin Center and remain in first place in the Big Ten.