GAME BOX SCORE

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Despite 17 points from senior Trant Simpson and a solid homecoming performance for true freshman Demondre Chapman, No. 14 Michigan State was too much for the Prairie View A&M Panthers as they fell 90-51 on Saturday at the Bresling Center.

Michigan State scored the first seven points of the game but Flint, Mich. native Demondre Chapman scored four points to key a seven-point surge for the Panthers as they trailed 11-7 at the 14:59 mark. MSU responded and put forth a 10-0 run to claim a 21-7 advantage several minutes later while Prairie View continued to fight and cut its deficit to 30-20 following a trey from Simpson with 4:35 left in the half. The Panthers would draw no closer though as the half ended with MSU ahead 42-27.

Cortney Bell opened the second half with a jumper at the top of the key and drew Prairie View to within 13 points at 42-29. However, the Panthers went scoreless for nearly five minutes after the opening basket and before they could score again, MSU claimed a 23-point margin and never looked back from that point.

Simpson scored 17 points with three assists while Chapman scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds in his inaugural appearance back at home.

“It was one of those games that our team is going to learn from,” said head coach Byron Rimm II. “It is great coming up here and playing Michigan State even though Coach (Tom) Izzo wasn't here. That is a great basketball team that we played tonight. A lot of stuff that we did we couldn't get done because they were bigger and stronger. I think both teams played pretty hard. One reason why we played Michigan State is because we have a young man, Demondre Chapman, who is from this area and I told him we would get him to come home and play this team. He did a great job. He had 13 points in 20 minutes so I am very proud of him.”

Prairie View returns to action on Tuesday as they'll close out non-conference play with a home matchup versus Dallas Christian at 6 p.m. in the William Nicks Building.