BTN.com staff, November 18, 2013

Freshly minted No. 1 Michigan State struggled early but managed to put away Portland, 82-67, Monday night at the Breslin Center. Keith Appling scored 25 points and Adreian Payne added 19 to pace the Spartans, who 45 percent from 3-point land. Get all the stats, recap and video highlights in this post.

No. 1 Michigan State 82, Portland 67 | RECAP | BOX | PLAY-BY-PLAY
(AP) Keith Appling matched a career high with 25 points to help No. 1 Michigan State pull away to beat Portland 82-67 on Monday night in its first game as a top-ranked team in 13 years. The Spartans (4-0) struggled in the first half, leading by four points after seven lead changes and three ties.