Michigan State vs. Valparaiso: Live Score and Updates for Round of 64 Matchup

The Valparaiso Crusaders simply didn't have answer Thursday for Derrick Nix. 

The Spartans' senior center absolutely dominated in just about every way possible during his team's 65-54 opening-round victory over the Crusaders. Nix scored a game-high 23 points and owned the glass with 15 rebounds (nine on offense). 

Keith Appling, Nix's former teammate at Detroit Pershing High, also put on a show for the "home" crowd in the metro-Detroit area. The junior was red-hot from long distance, knocking down 3-of-5 attempts en route to scoring 15 points. 

Freshman phenom Gary Harris finished with 10 points, while sophomore swingman Branden Dawson chipped in with seven points. 

Valpo kept pace with the Spartans in the early goings, but Nix's size accompanied by the Spartans' speed proved to be too much for the Horizon League power to overcome. Michigan State, a No. 3 seed in the Midwest bracket, wasn't a shoo-in to win Thursday. 

No, many pundits thought that the No. 14-seeded Crusaders would hang around and give Michigan State a difficult time. 

Valpo's Ben Boggs scored 15 points. Erick Buggs had 14. Star senior Ryan Broekhoff was relatively ineffective, scoring just eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. 

Follow Bleacher Report's Michigan State Spartans basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81