Spartans fall to 4-2
DETROIT (AP) -- Tyler Hansbrough had 25 points and 11 rebounds, leading the top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels in a 98-63 victory over the 13th-ranked Spartans on Wednesday night.
Ford Field, the home of the National Football League's Detroit Lions, was configured for about 70,000 seats and perhaps one-third of them were filled with fans, creating a scene that was as lackluster as the game.
The announced attendance was 25,267.
Risers lifted the court off the turf, putting the benches below the playing surface.
"The facility is unusual," North Carolina's coach, Roy Williams, said. "I don't feel as comfortable sitting below the court. It's a great arena, but I'm not used to look at my guys' ankles."
Williams might enjoy the view in three months when the NCAA Final Four begins. "See you in April," someone said to him as he walked out of his news conference. "I'll be back and I hope my team is with me," Williams replied.
The way the top-ranked Tar Heels (8-0) are rolling, it will take quite an upset or injury woes to keep them away from college basketball's showcase event in the Motor City.
North Carolina won its first seven games by an average of nearly 30 points - including a lopsided win over No. 7 Notre Dame - then came within a point of matching the worst defeat of Tom Izzo's head-coaching career that started in 1995.
"They're definitely one of the best teams I've seen in my 25 years at Michigan State," Izzo said.
North Carolina's Wayne Ellington scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half when Michigan State was still contesting the outcome.
Ty Lawson had 17 points, eight assists and seven steals and Deon Thompson added 10 points and seven rebounds.
"Ty rolled his ankle on last possession of first half, but we were fortunate that it wasn't bad," Williams said. "We taped him up and he played well in second half."
The Tar Heels took control with an 11-3 run late in the first half, led by 14 at halftime, then built a 30-plus cushion before coasting.
"It appeared to me that they lost their legs a little in second half," Williams said. "No way our defense caused them to shoot 20 percent in that half. We were very lucky to get the schedule like this."
The Spartans (4-2) started the season ranked sixth, but lost a lot of luster with an 18-point loss to Maryland in what was their first of four games in a week.
"The blame goes on me for the scheduling," Izzo said. "We were dead."
Michigan State's Raymar Morgan and Chris Allen looked like they belonged on the same court with the Tar Heels, scoring 21 and 16 points respectively, but the rest of their teammates appeared overmatched.
"We got embarrassed," point guard Kalin Lucas said.
(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
