Rocket Watts had 23 points, four rebounds and four assists and No. 8 Michigan State edged past in-state opponent Detroit Mercy 83-76 at East Lansing, Mich. on Friday.
Gabe Brown supplied 16 points for the Spartans (4-0), who were coming off a road victory against No. 6 Duke. Aaron Henry contributed 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Joey Hauser added 10 points and five rebounds. Michigan State overcame 17 turnovers.
Spartans guard Joshua Langford sat out due to a knee injury.
Antoine Davis led Detroit Mercy with 24 points despite missing all nine of his 3-point attempts. Matt Johnson had 20 points, five rebounds and three assists.
The Titans were playing their season opener. They had three games scheduled at last week's Bluegrass Classic in Kentucky but had to bow out due to a positive COVID-19 test among a support staff member.
A 6-0 Detroit spurt gave it a 53-50 advantage with 12:21 remaining. Johnson's layup capped the run.
A short time later, a Johnson steal led to Dwayne Rose Jr.'s layup, giving the Titans a 59-54 lead.
The Spartans regained the lead with eight unanswered points. Watts and Brown scored four points apiece during the run, which made it 66-62.
A Johnson putback pulled Detroit Mercy within one, 71-70, with 3:38 left. But Henry hit a jumper and Brown drained a 3-pointer to extend the Spartans lead to six points.
The Titans pulled within two points, 78-76, on two Johnson free throws with 1:49 remaining.
Spartans forward Julius Marble answered with a dunk and Brown clinched the win on a 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining.
The Spartans led by as much as eight points in the first half but the score was knotted at 35-all at halftime.
The Titans used a 12-2 run midway through the half to take the lead after the Spartans led 22-14. Marquell Fraser and Davis scored four points apiece during that run.
Davis finished the half with 12 points. Watts was the lone Michigan State player in double figures with 11 points in the first half.
--Field Level Media
