EAST LANSING, Mich.
In their season opener on Monday night, Jaden Akins delivered an impressive performance, scoring 23 points as Michigan State surged ahead in the second half to secure an 81-57 victory over Monmouth.
Akins also contributed significantly with nine rebounds and five assists during the game.

The night saw a total of ten Michigan State players getting a minimum of ten minutes of playtime, with Jase Richardson being the only other Spartan to score in double digits, finishing with 10 points.

Michigan State made an emphatic start to the contest, scoring the first nine points. They managed to establish a 15-point lead on three separate occasions throughout the first half. Monmouth, who started the game slow, initially got on the scoreboard with free throws, and their first field goal was a three-pointer from Abdi Bashir Jr., narrowing the gap to 19-8 with around 11 minutes to play in the half.

By halftime, Michigan State was in front with a score of 38-27.

The second half kicked off with Monmouth scoring the first five points, cutting the deficit to six. However, Michigan State quickly re-established control, extending their lead to 17 points thanks to consecutive dunks from Coen Carr and Akins around the ten-minute mark.

In the final moments of the game, Kur Teng added a jumper and a three-pointer, leading the Spartans to their biggest margin at 81-57 with just about a minute remaining.

For Monmouth, Abdi Bashir Jr. was the standout player, leading his team with 20 points. Meanwhile, Madison Durr and Justin Ray each contributed 12 points, and Cornelius Robinson Jr. was active on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds.

Last season, Michigan State finished sixth in the Big Ten but continued their legacy by reaching the NCAA Tournament for the 26th consecutive year, marking the longest active streak in the nation. The Spartans returned seven letterwinners this season, although they did lose four key starters from the previous year.