EAST LANSING (AP) — Gabe Brown scored a career high 24 points, as short-handed No. 10 Michigan State pulled away in the second half to beat scrappy High Point, 81-68, Wednesday’s matchup of longtime coaching friends Tom Izzo and Tubby Smith.

The Spartans (11-2, 2-0 Big Ten) were without four players, including starters Marcus Bingham Jr. and Max Christie, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.

Joey Hauser had a season-high 17 points and 11 rebounds for Michigan State, while Jaden House had 11 of his 18 points in the first half for High Point (6-7).

BIG PICTURE: Unranked when the season began, MSU wasn’t going to let the COVID absences knock them out of the top 10, extending their win streak to seven straight since the Nov. 26 loss to No. 1 Baylor.

UP NEXT: Izzo expects the Spartans to be at full strength when they return to Big Ten play Sunday with a visit to Northwestern, where the Wildcats knocked off then-No. 4 MSU, 79-65, last December to end a 12-game losing streak in the series.