CHAPEL HILL -- Everywhere Tom Izzo turns, the Michigan State coach bumps into North Carolina.
These are not 5-mph bumps. These are not even fire hydrant-tree bumps. These are frame-bending, teeth-rattling bumps that jar the riders.
The Tar Heels jolted Michigan State early and often last night, roaring to a 19-point lead and winning 89-82 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Izzo's fifth consecutive defeat against the Tar Heels rubbed his competitive nerve the wrong way, and he immediately agreed to play Carolina again next season if the schedulers would arrange it.
"I always enjoy playing some of the best teams in the country, and there's no doubt that North Carolina is one of them," Izzo said. "You know what? I'll guarantee you one thing: In 15 years I never backed down from anybody, and I'm sure as hell ain't going to start now. So, you want to schedule it, I'll schedule it."
Carolina enjoyed applying the double hammer, erecting a human forest inside and shredding the compressed Spartans' defense from afar.
Everyone knew that Coach Roy Williams could shove one big fellow after another onto the Dean Dome floor, led by sophomore Ed Davis (22 points, 6 rebounds). The Spartans had eaten ball leather in the challenge last December, losing 98-63, and they had absorbed Carolina body blows during the national championship game, a 17-point blowout in Detroit.
Almost everyone suspected that Carolina's perimeter game was outrageously suspect, missing Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and Ty Lawson. Maybe so, but you couldn't tell it for significant stretches.
Point guard Larry Drew and senior Marcus Ginyard hit open 3-pointers, proving a small point. Drew's assertiveness and confidence grew in full public view as he made 6 of 7 field-goal attempts and scored 18 points. He drove into the heart of MSU's defense and once zipped in a bold leaner from the left of the foul circle.
Freshman Dexter Strickland brought the season's first full-throated sellout crowd to its feet as the first half ended, dribbling against the clock and pulling up at the line with barely a second to spare. Strickland nailed his second 3-pointer for a 50-34 lead and jogged through a high-fiving throng on his way to the locker room.
"A dagger," Izzo said.
Carolina cheers turned to groans later as Strickland and Ginyard struggled at the foul line. As the fat lead dwindled, Williams unleashed his verbal fury at several players. One target: Deon Thompson, the leading scorer this season.
"Deon got an offensive rebound and tried to act like Meadowlark Lemon, dribbling the ball in a casual pace to the corner," Williams said. "So, that's why I took him out. That's the reason they don't give coaches guns, because I would've shot his rear end."
Reporters laughed, and Williams issued a non-coaching order. "Don't anybody get too fired up about ‘he shouldn't make statements like that.' I've told the old-timers in here, my mother told me she was going to shoot me 5,000 times, and I never one time thought she was. Deon better understand that I'm not his mother."
Some of these challenge games have all the family tradition of instant mashed potatoes. Carolina-Michigan State is different. They go back all the way to the 1957 NCAA semifinals, a nervous thriller pitting Jumpin' Johnny Green against Lennie Rosenbluth & Co. that Carolina won in triple overtime.
They have history, and they added a chapter last night. Izzo would like to tack on another, Carolina willing.
lrawlings@wsjournal.com
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