MINNEAPOLIS — Coen Carr scored 12 points, Jaxon Kohler had a double-double and Michigan State led most of the way in a 90-72 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night in a Big Ten Conference opener.
Carr shot 5 of 8 from the floor and Kohler scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Xavier Booker made three 3s and finished with 11 points for Michigan State, which shot 53% (29 of 55) and made 11 of 22 from long range. Jeremy Fears Jr. added 10 points to go with five assists.
Dawson Garcia had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Minnesota (6-4, 0-1). Mike Mitchell Jr. scored 17 points and Lu’Cye Patterson added 12.
The Spartans shot 50% from the floor to build a 42-30 lead at the break. Akins scored nine points in the first half and Garcia paced Minnesota with nine. The Golden Gophers pulled within 11 points with about 10 minutes left but didn’t get closer.
Minnesota had its last lead, 14-12, with 12:22 to play in the first half.
Michigan State (7-2, 1-0), which was coming off a third-place finish in the Maui Invitational with its 94-91 overtime win over then-No. 12 North Carolina, has won five of its last six games.
The Spartans also ended a two-game skid in conference openers and moved to 18-12 in Big Ten openers under coach Tom Izzo.
