Game thread: Iowa 83, No. 1 Michigan State 70

Follow a live ticker of updates from Carver-Hawkeye Arena as Iowa opens Big Ten play against top-ranked Michigan State. Refresh this page throughout the game for extended updates and highlights below.

Final - Iowa 83, Michigan State 70

Top-ranked teams might want to think about avoiding the state of Iowa.

Mike Gesell scored a career-high 25 points and the Hawkeyes (10-3) became the second state school to knock off a No. 1 team this season, handing Michigan State its first loss in the Big Ten opener.

Northern Iowa knocked off North Carolina in Cedar Falls back in November.

It's Iowa's first win over a top-ranked team since beating Connecticut in 1999. This one may not be considered an upset, as MSU was missing its best player in Denzel Valentine, but it's a huge win for the Hawkeyes nonetheless.

Michigan State had won 13 of the last 14 meetings in the series, including seven straight.

Iowa blew an 11-point halftime lead in a 14-point home loss to MSU last year, but shot 63.6 percent in the second half Tuesday night to derail any chance of a Spartan comeback after leading 37-23 at the break.

Four Hawkeyes were in double-figure scoring, led by Gesell, who was 7 of 10 from the field and 11 of 13 from the free-throw line. Peter Jok had 17, Nicholas Baer had 11 and Jarrod Uthoff scored 10.

Iowa was extremely active defensively, blocking 11 shots and swiping eight steals. Uthoff tied a career high with five blocks.

Eron Harris had 21 points and Matt Costello 17 to lead Michigan State, which turned it over 16 times, including 11 in the first half.

3:04 2nd - Iowa 71, Michigan State 57

Michigan State dug within 10, but the Hawkeyes continue to have answers.

Mike Gesell has been simply phenomenal, getting penetration, drawing fouls and finding bigs for easy buckets.

The Hawkeye point guard now has 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, three assists and two steals.

Jarrod Uthoff is up to 10 points after being saddled with foul trouble, and according to Iowa sports info, has now scored in double figures in every game this season.

Adam Woodbury (eight points, five rebounds), is on the bench with four fouls, but the Spartans will need to do work from outside to come back. They've struggled from there tonight (3-12).

7:34 2nd - Iowa 63, Michigan State 48

Hello, Peter Jok. Two straight threes out of the media timeout, including one falling down in transition, gave Iowa its largest lead at 17 points (58-39).

Jok now leads all scorers with 15 points.

He's one of three Hawkeyes in double figures (Gesell 13, Baer 11), and that doesn't include Jarrod Uthoff, who averages 18 a night and has eight.

That balance, plus remarkable defensive intensity, is a recipe for success.

11:49 2nd - Iowa 52, Michigan State 39

It's the Mike Gesell show now at Carver-Hawkeye. The Iowa senior is up to a game-high 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting, plus two assists, two steals and just one turnover.

Nine of those 13 points have come in the second half.

Alvin Ellis finally knocked down the Spartans' first three of the game, but MSU is still just 1-of-6 from deep.

15:58 2nd - Iowa 43, Michigan State 32

You knew Michigan State wouldn't go away.

The Spartans, who trailed by 11 at halftime last year in Iowa City before storming back for a 14-point win, started making up ground early in the second half.

An Eron Harris 3-point play and Matt Costello put-back cut the lead to 11. Deyonta Davis and Costello answered Iowa baskets with two-handed slams.

But it might be Iowa's night. Mike Gesell probably scored the luckiest basket of his career when his in-bounds pass was swatted by MSU's Alvin Ellis into the hoop.

Half - Iowa 37, Michigan State 23

No need for Jarrod Uthoff to come back in after picking up his second foul with 13:32 left. MSU turned it over 11 times in the first half and Nicholas Baer was all over the place for the Hawkeyes.

The Iowa walk-on has a game-high nine points on 3-of-6 shooting, three rebounds and a block as the Hawkeyes lead the top-ranked Spartans -- missing all-American Denzel Valentine -- by 14 at the break.

It's the fewest first-half points MSU has totaled this season.

Iowa shot 38.2 percent, but took advantage of the MSU turnovers and eight offensive rebounds.

Dom Uhl and Peter Jok, who hit a jumper with time winding down in the half, have seven points.

The Hawkeyes were 4-of-9 from deep while the Spartans have yet to connect from outside (0-5) and are shooting 38.5 percent overall.

Eron Harris leads the way with five points for MSU, but he hasn't scored since early in the game.

3:25 1st - Iowa 33, Michigan State 19

A 7-0 run after the timeout (14-4 in the larger picture) gave the Hawkeyes their largest lead at 31-17, capped by Dom Uhl banking in a three.

Iowa's defensive intensity has been noticeable. Mike Gesell knocking the ball off Bryn Forbes, who was trying to call a timeout, followed Uhl's three and had Carver-Hawkeye rocking.

Nicholas Baer backed his way in for a jumper to increase the lead to 14 again and give him a current game-high of seven points, tied with Uhl.

And just for good measure, Baer added a monster swat on a Matt McQuaid 3-point attempt.

Have seen the first-half-against-ISU comparisons already. Biggest difference tonight? Very balanced scoring for Iowa. All-around effort.December 30, 2015

Have seen the first-half-against-ISU comparisons already. Biggest difference tonight? Very balanced scoring for Iowa. All-around effort.

— Jeremiah Davis (@jeremiahdavis10)

ICYMI: Fran McCaffery said a couple weeks ago Baer will earn himself a scholarship at some point.

7:23 1st - Iowa 24, Michigan State 17

Nicholas Baer is something else. The walk-on, averaging 16 points in his last two games, hustles down an offensive rebound and launches a three without hesitation to give Iowa its largest lead.

That was one of eight offensive boards for the Hawkeyes thus far, matching MSU's defensive total. That number makes up for the Hawkeyes shooting 34.8 percent (8-23).

Jarrod Uthoff has not re-entered the game since picking up his second foul with 13:32 left.

Iowa certainly is not scared. Really physical - out-working Michigan State on both ends. December 30, 2015

Iowa certainly is not scared. Really physical - out-working Michigan State on both ends. #Hawkeyes

— Jeremiah Davis (@jeremiahdavis10)

11:52 1st - Iowa 14, Michigan State 13

Jarrod Uthoff picked up his second foul with 13:32 to go and took a seat, replaced by Nicholas Baer.

A minor rough patch followed offensively as MSU's Deyonta Davis blocked three straight shots and Baer clanged a three off the backboard before Dom Uhl drew a foul prior to the media timeout.

Davis also had a ridiculous put-back slam.

15:46 1st - Iowa 12, Michigan State 9

Iowa shot out to a 10-4 lead, making four straight shots including a pair of 3-pointers after missing its first two field goals, but MSU quickly fought back.

Eron Harris' 3-point play brought it to 10-9 with just over 16 minutes to play before Jarrod Uthoff answered with a jumper prior to the first media timeout.

Uthoff leads the Hawkeyes early with five points and also has two blocks.

Preview

Matchup: No. 1 Michigan State (13-0) @ Iowa (9-3)

Time: 8 p.m.

TV: BTN (Online: BTN2Go)

Pregame Reading: Hawkeyes face big hurdle in No. 1 Spartans

On the Line: MSU has been Iowa's nemesis, having won 14 of the last 15 in the series, including seven straight. The Hawkeyes have a prime chance to snap that skid at home with the Spartans missing Denzel Valentine, who leads them in scoring, rebounding and assists.

The Spartans look to continue a record start to the season and show what they can do without their all-American in the Big Ten opener.

Injury Report:

Denzel Valentine is out 2-3 weeks after undergoing a mild arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Monday a.m.December 21, 2015

Denzel Valentine is out 2-3 weeks after undergoing a mild arthroscopic procedure on his left knee Monday a.m.

— Spartan Basketball (@MSU_Basketball)

Projected Starters:

Iowa

5 G Anthony Clemmons (6-2 Sr., 8.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.0 spg)

10 G Mike Gesell (6-2 Sr., 7.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 7.0 apg, 1.4 spg, .471 3p%)

14 G Peter Jok (6-6 Jr., 13.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.2 spg, .870 ft%)

20 F Jarrod Uthoff (6-9 Sr., 18.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.9 bpg, .513 fg%, .829 ft%, .464 3p%)

34 C Adam Woodbury (7-1 Sr., 8.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .574 fg%, .824 ft%)

Michigan State

2 F Jevon Bess (6-5 So., 5.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.2 apg)

5 G Bryn Forbes (6-3 Sr., 14.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 1.2 apg, .504 fg%, .824 ft%, .494 3p%)

10 F Matt Costello (6-9 Sr., 7.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg, .487 fg%, .806 ft%)

11 G Lourawls 'Tum Tum' Nairn (5-10 So., 4.1 ppg, 4.4 apg)

14 G Eron Harris (6-3 Jr., 8.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.5 apg)