Did someone say Beast Mode?
Michigan State’s Adreian Payne started his fourth March Madness experience with a bang, when the senior forward scored the most points in a NCAA tournament game since Seth Curry in 2008.
Payne bested his former career high by six points, dropping 41 against Delaware in the Spartans first game of the tourney. He set the tone early with a monster first half by scoring 23 points, going 10-15 from the field including 4-5 from 3-pt range and by the end of the game he was the 2nd player in NCAA tournament history to score 40 points, shoot 67% and be perfect from the free-throw line. The other person? – Bill Bradley in 1965. Payne also set a record for most free throws without a miss (17-17) and for the most points scored by a Spartan in a tournament game.
Adreian Payne just set a Michigan State school record with 35 points, most ever for a Spartan in an NCAA Tournament game.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 20, 2014
Adreian Payne has 40 points for Michigan State. Last guy to do that in a tourney game? Steph Curry in the 2008 opening round vs. Gonzaga.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 20, 2014
Adreian Payne set a tournament record for most FT made without a miss (17 for 17), breaking record shared by Bill Bradley & Fennis Dembo-16
I can’t think of a better way to start dancing. Now, for a live look at the Harvard team that upset Cincy and will face the Spartans next…