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EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Matt Donlan and Francisco Santiago scored in double figures, but it wasn't enough for the Youngstown State men's basketball team to get past Michigan State, which won, 77-57, Tuesday night.
Donlan had a game-high 21 points, while Santiago had his third double-double of the year with 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Penguins.
Meanwhile, Michigan State's Josh Langford had a season-high 15 points and improved his play defensively, helping Michigan State bounce back from a poor performance.
The Spartans (6-4) were coming off a four-point win over Oral Roberts in which coach Tom Izzo lamented the play of Langford publicly and privately.
"I knew I hadn't done a good job for Michigan State, and my teammates," Langford said. "This time, I didn't care about scoring."
Langford has gotten off to a slow start this season, scoring in single digits in his first nine games, in part because of a hamstring injury that made it look like he was laboring to run fluidly with his ailing left leg. Izzo said Langford isn't in pain, but also is not in good condition because of how limited he has been physically this season.
"I'm trying to get him more shots, more playing time and get him in better shape," Izzo said.
Donlan scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half, while Santiago had eight of his 13 points after halftime. YSU (5-5) made 33 percent of its shots.
"We just don't have that third guy," said Penguins coach Jerry Slocum, whose team only trailed 37-30 at halftime.
Both teams were without their leading scorers, both of whom are from Flint, Michigan.
Michigan State's Miles Bridges missed a second straight game with a sprained left ankle. Youngstown State's Cameron Morse sat out a third consecutive game with an injured right wrist.
The Spartans led by seven points at halftime before pulling away in the second half.
The Penguins had enough energy to hang with Michigan State in the first half with one tie and one lead change, but they didn't have enough to keep it close without Morse. He is averaging 23.7 points.
"He's a special offensive player," Slocum said.
Saturday, YSU travels to American. Tipoff is at 2 p.m.