Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) goes up to shoot during the second half against Cornell, Monday, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jeremy Fears Jr. scored a career-high 21 points and added 11 assists for No. 9 Michigan State as the Spartans overcame a sluggish start to beat Cornell 114-97 on Monday night.

Coen Carr had 19 points and six rebounds, and Trey Fort scored 14 points. Divine Ugochukwu added 12 points, and Jaxon Kohler had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Fears’ previous high was 19 points against North Carolina on Nov. 27.

Michigan State (12-1) reached a season high for points and also allowed a season high in its final nonconference game. Its final total was the highest output since Dec. 13, 2008, when the Spartans had 118 against Alcorn State.

The Spartans hadn’t given up more than 72 points in any game this season. Their previous season high score was 92 points against Toledo on Dec. 16.

Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg dances during half time of an NCAA college basketball game against McNeese, Monday, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Cooper Noard led Cornell (6-6) with 19 points. Adam Hinton and Jake Fiegen added 15 points apiece.

The schools hadn’t faced each other since Nov. 24, 2000.

Michigan State is at Nebraska on Friday night.

Michigan 112

McNeese State 71

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. had 24 points and 11 rebounds to lead No. 2 Michigan to an easy

The Wolverines (12-0) are off to their best start since they opened the 2018-19 season 17-0, a school record. It’s just the fourth time Michigan has won its first 12 games.

The Cowboys (10-3) had won four straight overall and two consecutive road games before being overmatched by one of college basketball’s top teams.

The 24 points matched a career high for Johnson. He also scored 24 this season against Oakland.

Yaxel Lendeborg added 16 points for the Wollverines, and Trey McKenney and Aday Mara each had 13. Nimari Burnett scored 12 and Roddy Gayle Jr. finished with 10.

Garwey Dual led McNeese State with 15 points. Larry Johnson scored 14, Tyshawn Archie had 12 and DJ Richards Jr. added 11 for the Cowboys.

The Wolverines scored the first seven points and led 22-7 before the seven-minute mark of the first half. McNeese State was never able to close the gap to less than 10 the rest of the game. Michigan led 60-29 at halftime.

Michiganscored 100 points for the third straight game and sixth time in seven games. The Wolverines have reached the 100-point plateau seven times already this season. That’s three games shy of the school record set in 1988-89.

The Wolverines have won nine games this season by 25-plus points and six by 40-plus points. Six of Michigan’s last eight wins were by margins of 30 or more.

Michigan hosts No. 24 USC in a Big Ten game Friday.