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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan State (No. 7 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) won three games during the week, including its own tournament. Still, coach Tom Izzo was threatening lineup changes.
What gives? Nerves. In the coming week, the Spartans (6-1)
have to play No. 6 Kansas and No. 4 Arizona.
Andre Hutson scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half as the Spartans opened a 21-point lead and cruised to a 74-57 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday night in the final of the Spartan Classic.
The Spartans had a 47-27 rebounding edge, but Izzo didn't like
much of anything else he saw. Michigan State shot just 37 percent
and gave up 12 points off 12 turnovers. They also missed 10 of 38
free throws.
"I told the players there are three positions that are up in
the air," Izzo said. "But there are two I have to take a serious
look at because of production or skill level, take your choice."
The players understood Izzo's harsh critique.
"I think it's a challenge to all the players," Hutson said.
"We've got a tough week and some tough practices coming up. But
that's the way it goes. He wants the five toughest players out
there."
The Spartans face Kansas on Tuesday night in Chicago, then
travel to Tucson to face Arizona on Saturday.
"I think coach is looking at the big picture," said Morris
Peterson, who added 16 points for the Spartans. "If we want to
compete against the top teams, we've got to play hard every
night."
Corey Tarrant scored 14 points, and Calvin Warner had 12 for
Eastern Michigan (4-2).
Hutson was selected the most valuable player of the tournament.
Loyola defeated Howard 77-53 in the consolation game.
The Spartans, lethargic in Friday night's semifinal victory over
Howard, played with a little more of the intensity during the first
half that helped earn a road victory at North Carolina earlier in
the week. The hard work was especially telling on the boards where
Michigan State had a 27-13 first-half edge, 9-3 on the offensive
end.
Izzo wants them to play that way for 40 minutes.
"Coach has to do what he has to do," said guard Charlie Bell,
who scored 11 points. "The only thing that's going to get guys'
attention is threaten them a little bit, take a little playing time
away from them."
The Eagles hung in with Michigan State for a while. A 3-pointer
by Mosi Barnes gave Eastern Michigan a 16-14 lead with 12:38 left
in the first half.
But a 3-pointer by Mike Chappell 54 seconds later gave the
Spartans a 17-16 lead they would never relinquish. It also
triggered a 34-8 run that would give Michigan State a 45-24
halftime lead.
A.J. Granger, Bell and Peterson all had 3-pointers in the burst,
and Hutson added a three-point play.
Tarrant had a three-point play during a 10-4 run by Eastern
Michigan that narrowed the gap to 49-34 early in the second half.
But it was all Spartans the rest of the way as Michigan State led
by as many as 25 points with 6:06 remaining.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Eastern Michigan Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
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