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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Mike Chappell found his shooting touch in time to keep Michigan State (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 7 AP) in contention for the Big Ten
title.
|  | | Mateen Cleaves had 12 points and nine assists, but his biggest number was 24: the small number of minutes he played. |
Chappell scored 18 points, including a pair of 3-pointers to cap
a 16-0 first-half run, as Michigan State beat Minnesota 79-43
on Thursday.
"At times we don't shoot well from the perimeter," coach Tom
Izzo said. "Maybe a game like this will be the start for Mike."
Chappell, who sat out last season after transferring from Duke,
is heating up in time for Michigan State (22-7, 12-3 Big Ten) the
conference and NCAA tournaments.
"It was just a relief to get out there and play the game,"
Chappell said. "It was unfortunate to have the injuries (to David
Thomas and Aloysius Anagonye) but I was glad to have the
opportunity to help the team."
Chappell led Duke in 3-point field goal percentage (.434) in
1997-98 but came into the Minnesota game shooting only .295 from
long range. Against the Gophers he made four of seven 3-pointers.
After Chappell hit his two straight 3s in the first half, point
guard Mateen Cleaves began looking for him.
"That has to boost your confidence when one of the best point
guards in the country is coming to you," Chappell said.
The Spartans extended their school-record home winning streak to
27 games and moved back into a tie for first place with Ohio State
with one game remaining.
Michigan State ends its regular season Saturday and Michigan,
while Ohio State plays Minnesota (12-14, 4-11).
It was the seventh time this season that Michigan State has
bounced back from a defeat to post a convincing victory in its next
game.
In the seven games following a defeat, the Spartans' average
margin of victory is 24 points.
Michigan State hasn't lost back-to-back games since December
1998.
After a basket by Dusty Rychart left Minnesota down 5-4, the
Spartans went on a 16-0 run to take a 21-4 lead with 12:14 left in
the first half.
Michigan State scored the last four points of the half to lead
44-15 at the break. Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson each scored
11 points in the first half.
The Spartans completely dominated the first half, outrebounding
the Gophers 21-14 and holding them to 22 percent shooting. Michigan
State shot 56 percent from the field in the first half.
It was more of the same in the second half as the Spartans lead
grew to 39 points before coach Tom Izzo began substituting freely.
Cleaves and Peterson didn't play in the last 12 minutes and
little-used Steve Cherry got into the game with eight minutes to
go.
"They're better than we are," Minnesota coach Dan Monson said.
"They're one of the great basketball teams in the country and they
have a chance to win a national title. We're a new team trying to
find an identity and we didn't find it today. It was a long, tough
night. They didn't let us execute much offensively."
Peterson finished with 13 points, Cleaves added 12 and Charlie
Bell 11. Freshman Jason Richardson finished with a season-high 12
rebounds as Michigan State outrebounded the Gophers 45-29.
Rychart led Minnesota's scoring with 10 points.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Minnesota Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Morris Peterson shows off his dunking skills.
avi: 707 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Mateen Cleaves gets the steal and finishes with the layup.
avi: 687 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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