EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Senior guard Alvin Ellis III had 16 points and eight rebounds as Michigan State snapped Northwestern's nine-game winning streak with a 61-52 victory Friday at the Breslin Center.

Freshman guard Cassius Winston contributed 15 points and six assists, while freshman center Nick Ward supplied 11 points and nine rebounds for the Spartans (10-5 overall, 2-0 Big Ten). Michigan State defeated Minnesota in overtime in its conference opener on Tuesday.

The Spartans' defense held the Wildcats (12-3, 1-1) to 35.8 percent from the field (19 of 53) overall and 28.6 percent in the second half (8 of 28).

Sophomore forward Vic Law led Northwestern with 16 points and nine rebounds while junior guard Scott Lindsey added 11 points.

Michigan State's second-half lead fluctuated between four and nine points until the final minute. Both teams went scoreless for over four minutes until Ellis converted in the lane with 7:20 remaining to make it 50-44.

Northwestern's drought lasted nearly six minutes before Lindsey hit two free throws.

Kenny Goins' layup off a Winston feed with four minutes left nudged the Spartans' advantage to 57-48. Bryant McIntosh scored the Wildcats' first field goal in nearly 10 minutes when he converted a layup with 1:32 remaining.

Winston's layup with 7:02 remaining in the first half gave Michigan State its biggest lead at 28-9. The Wildcats finished the half on a 20-8 run to close the gap to 36-29. Lindsey hit a pair of 3-pointers during that rally.

Ellis had 11 first-half points, while Law topped Northwestern with 10.

Michigan State's top scorer and rebounder, freshman forward Miles Bridges, was in uniform but did not play. Bridges is still recovering from an ankle injury.