COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Kiana Johnson scored 16 points, Annalise Pickrel added 14 and fifth-seeded Michigan State halted Marist's string of first-round NCAA upsets Saturday with a 55-47 win.
Jasmine Thomas added 10 points for the Spartans (25-8). Michigan State advanced to the second round for the eighth time in nine NCAA appearances, a streak interrupted by a loss to Louisville on the same College Park floor a year ago.
Michigan State will play Maryland on Monday on the fourth-seeded Terrapins' home court. Maryland won Saturday's opener 72-52 over Quinnipiac.
Casey Dulin scored 13 points for the Red Foxes (26-7). Marist has made a name for itself by pulling first-round upsets as double-digit seeds, advancing to the second round as a No. 13 seed a year ago and as a No. 10 in 2011.
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