CHICAGO (AP) -- Where was Mateen Cleaves when Michigan State needed him Tuesday night? On the bench wearing a bulky sweater, leading cheers and offering pointers while recovering from a broken foot.

By now, the Spartans (No. 5 ESPN/USA Today, No. 4 Associated Press) are used to playing -- and winning -- without their floor leader. As one sign at the United Center so aptly put it: "The Spartans are so hot, they can go Cleaveless."

	Charlie Bell looks for room around Kansas' Kirk Hinrich.

Once again, that's what Michigan State did.

Charlie Bell and Morris Peterson helped the Spartans withstand a 19-2 second-half Kansas run as the Spartans beat the Jayhawks (No. 4 ESPN/USA Today, No. 5 AP) 66-54 in the Great Eight.

"We knew they would make a run. And we've just got to weather that situation," Bell said.

"Everybody has to play different roles. Last year at times like this, Mateen stepped up. Now with him gone, someone else has to step up. I'm just trying to do it until he gets back."

Bell, doing most of the ball handling in Cleaves' absence, scored 21 points. Peterson shot poorly (3-of-14) but finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. And A.J. Granger had 13 for Michigan State (7-1).

"We have a lot of players that can hurt you in a lot of ways. When you try to stop one of us, someone else is going to step up," Bell said.

Kenny Gregory scored 14 points and Luke Axtell 12 for Kansas (6-1).

Michigan State won the Big Ten tournament on the same floor nine months ago and the Spartans played like they were right at home during the entire first half and the first six minutes of the second.

The Spartans were rolling 51-28 and on the way to an easy victory when the Jayhawks finally got loose. They ran off 13 straight points, a run featuring Drew Gooden's slam and Nick Bradford's steal and layup.

Michigan State went six minutes with no points before Jason Richardson hit a jumper to end the drought and give the Spartans a 53-41 lead with 8:18 to go.

But Kansas wasn't through. Gregory went high for back-to-back dunks after steals as the Jayhawks turned up the defensive pressure and ran off six more points, cutting the lead to 53-47 with just under seven minutes to go.

"They were by far the more aggressive team," Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "We made a fantastic run. We just didn't have quite enough. We were like the little engine that could. We got to the top and then just couldn't finish it off."

Their lead almost gone, the Spartans took a timeout. And with some advice from Cleaves, Peterson showed his leadership.

He dropped in two free throws, grabbed a rebound, fed Bell for a lay-in on the break and then made a one-on-one move from the key and drove for a basket to put the Spartans back up by 12.

"Mateen came over to me and said: 'You're the leader, you need to step up,' " Peterson said.

"Mateen is doing a really job from the bench. Another time he told me, 'Hey you're playing great, don't worry about the missed shots.' And I felt more comfortable when I went back in."

Bell was too quick for the Jayhawks to contain in the first half. His 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting, Michigan State's sticky defense that limited Kansas to just eight points in the first 10 minutes and three 3-pointers by Granger helped the Spartans to a 39-23 halftime lead.

Kansas was making its fifth straight Great Eight appearance and for the second straight season, the Jayhawks struggled at the United Center. Last year, they were routed 63-45 by Kentucky.