And No. 6 Michigan State basketball flexed its strength in numbers when it mattered most. The top-seeded Spartans scrapped their way to a 74-64 Big Ten tournament-opening victory over ninth-seed Oregon on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse,

Jase Richardson scored 17 points and Jeremy Fears Jr. added 11 points and five assists to lead No. 7 Michigan State past No. 23 Oregon 74-64 in the first Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game.

Jase Richardson scored 17 points to lead four players in double-figures for Michigan State (26-5), which advances to face the winner of No. 4 seed UCLA and No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the semifinals on Saturday (10 a.m., CBS).