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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- North Carolina faced a dilemma that
will challenge Michigan State's opponents all season.
Which of the Spartans do you try to stop?
|  | | Jason Richardson scored 16, but ran into UNC's Kris Lang on this drive to the hoop. |
It's a difficult question to answer as the Tar Heels found out.
The Spartans (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today; No. 3 AP) used a balanced attack to beat No. 6
North Carolina 77-64 Wednesday night in an ACC/Big Ten Challenge
game.
Jason Richardson led Michigan State (4-0) with 16 points, while
Andre Hutson had 14 points and nine rebounds and Charlie Bell added
15 points.
Four others scored six or more points and a fifth player, Mike
Chappell, made a key 3-pointer midway through the second half.
Before the season began, Bell thought this team would be better
offensively than the one that won last season's national
championship.
Now he is sure of it.
"Last year, if you stopped Pete, we could be in trouble," said
Bell, referring to Morris Peterson, who is playing for the Toronto
Raptors. "Now, we just have so many weapons. If you try to stop
one guy or one part of our game, you're going to be out of luck
because so many guys can score."
Five players scored the first five baskets and the balanced
scoring didn't stop there.
"We got a lot of play out of a lot of people," Michigan State
coach Tom Izzo said. "We had moments where we looked real good and
moments when we looked kind of sloppy."
When North Carolina extended its zone defense, Michigan State
scored inside. When it sagged its defense inside, the Spartans
would find an open player on the perimeter.
"It's tough to really focus in and say what you are going to
take away," North Carolina coach Matt Doherty said. "They run so
many sets. Against a zone, most teams don't have as many zone
offenses as they do man offenses. Coach Izzo must have about 50 set
plays."
Kris Lang prevented North Carolina (3-1) from being routed by
scoring a career-high 22 points on 11-for-16 shooting.
"He really showed a lot, he was a man down there," Doherty
said. "I expect that. Kris Lang is a good player who can put up 20
points and 10 rebounds every night."
Michigan State extended the nation's longest winning streak to
15 games and won its 32nd straight home game, second only to Utah's
54 in a row at home.
The Spartans went on a 14-2 run late in the first half and never
relinquished the momentum. They led by 13 at halftime and the Tar
Heels were not able to slice the deficit to less than seven in the
second half.
Michigan State dominated the Tar Heels on the glass in almost
the exact way it did last year when it gave them their first
home-opening loss since 1928.
The Spartans outrebounded North Carolina 43-29 and earned a 22-8
advantage in second-chance points.
"We knew that would be a big key because of their size,
athleticism and quickness," Hutson said. "I don't think we did as
good as we could, but we got some easy baskets."
Foul trouble hurt the Tar Heels. Jason Capel picked up his
fourth foul with 16 minutes left in the game and fouled out with
1:49 left. Brian Morrison also fouled out and Brendan Haywood had
to play several minutes in foul trouble.
Joseph Forte struggled against Bell's defensive pressure and
finished with 11 points, while Haywood added 10.
North Carolina sliced Michigan State's 13-point halftime lead to
seven on three occasions in the opening minutes of the second half.
Each time, a different Spartan scored to stunt the Tar Heels'
momentum.
"That's just how our team is," Richardson said. "We're more
of an offensive team this year. It's hard to just stop one guy."
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
North Carolina Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 MSU's Jason Richardson takes the alley-oop and makes the monster jam.
avi: 1342 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
MSU's Jason Richardson makes the nifty move for the reverse lay-in.
avi: 665 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
UNC's Kris Lang completes the alley-oop.
avi: 497 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
UNC's Kris Lang gets the basket and draws the foul.
avi: 665 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jay Bilas breaks down the Spartans' win over North Carolina, and explains the secret to Michigan State's success.
avi: 4101 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Tom Izzo was very happy to get away with a victory tonight.
wav: 424 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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