SOUTH BEND, Ind. — It will be easy to say the travel and injuries caught up with Michigan State on Wednesday night at Notre Dame.
But the reality was the 20th-ranked Spartans didn’t defend the entire first half, couldn’t make a shot early and never truly had the energy to muster much of a comeback bid as Notre Dame crushed Michigan State, 70-52, at the Purcell Pavilion, burying the Spartans in a barrage of 3-pointers in the final playing of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
The Fighting Irish (6-1) were 11-for-26 from 3-point range, including 8-for-13 in the first half as they blitzed the Spartans in the opening 20 minutes, leading by 23 at one point. Cormac Ryan scored 23 to lead Notre Dame, making six of his seven attempts from 3-point range. JJ Starling added 14.
