Love’s 17 points, key steal in the closing seconds help No. 3 Arizona top No. 21 Michigan State

PALM DESERT, Calif. - Caleb Love scored 17 points and made a key steal in the closing seconds to help No. 3 Arizona beat No. 21 Michigan State 74-68 on Thursday in the Acrisure Classic.

Love made 1 of 2 free throws with 24.6 seconds left to give Arizona a 72-68 lead. Tyson Walker drove into the lane at the other end before having his shot blocked by Keshad Johnson.

Michigan State inbounded the ball with 15.9 seconds left, but Love poked it away from behind and passed ahead to KJ Lewis for a fastbreak dunk.

Johnson had 13 points, 10 rebounds, four steals and two blocks for Arizona (6-0). Kylan Boswell added 12 points, and Oumar Ballo and Pelle Larsson each scored 10.

Walker, who missed a game on Sunday due to an illness, led Michigan State (3-3) with 18 points. A.J. Hoggard added 15 points and Jaden Akins 12. Mady Sissoko grabbed 10 rebounds.

Love, who planned to play for Michigan State’s rival Michigan before transferring to Arizona, made a deep 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in the first half to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 40-30.

Up next

Michigan State: Host Georgia Southern on Tuesday. The Spartans play seven of their next eight games in the state of Michigan, including a contest at Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Pistons, against No. 13 Baylor. The lone road contest is at Nebraska on Dec. 10.

Arizona: Hosts Colgate on Dec. 2, before taking on Wisconsin, No. 2 Purdue and No. 17 Alabama.