Detroit, MI

Derrick Nix scored nine of his 23 points in a 24-4 first-half run to help No. 3 Michigan State pull away en route to a 65-54 win over Valparaiso Thursday in the NCAA Tournament at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The game was tied at eight apiece when the Spartans started a 24-4 attack that gave them a commanding 32-12 advantage with 2:33 left in the first half.

Gary Harris sparked the run with a three-pointer while Nix capped it with a layup as the Spartans were never threatened the rest of the way, leading by many as 27 points, 49-22, in the second half.

The Spartans also limited Valparaiso to 18 points in the first 20 minutes, the fewest scored by the Crusaders in the opening half this season.

The Spartans will gun for a spot in the round of 16 when they take on the winner of the Memphis-St. Mary's game Saturday.

Nix made a career-high 10 field goals and also grabbed a career-best 15 boards for his first career double-double in an NCAA Tournament.

Keith Appling scored 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field and Harris added 10 for the Spartans, who are 17-6 in the round of 64 since the field expanded in 1985.

For his part, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo improved his all-time record in the NCAA Tournament to 38-14 and 12-4 in the round of 64.

Ben Boggs scored 15 point off the bench, Erik Buggs added 14 and Matt Kenney had 10 for the Crusaders, who ended their with a 26-8 record.

The Spartans limited Ryan Broekhoff, the 2011-12 Horizon League Player of the Year and a first-team all-league selection, to just eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. It was just the fourth time Broekhoff was held to single digits in scoring this season.

Derrick Nix had 23 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to help power third-seeded Michigan State past 14th-seeded Valparaiso 65-54

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Derrick Nix Double-Double Powers Michigan State Over Valparaiso