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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan State coach Tom Izzo could find little to complain about Saturday.
Spartans star Mateen Cleaves dished out 20 assists, breaking the Big Ten single-game and career assist marks along the way in his final home game. Charlie Bell pumped in a career-high 31 points.
|  | | Mateen Cleaves cuts down the nets after the Spartans routed Michigan, clinching a share of the Big Ten title. |
And the Spartans (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 7 AP) drubbed Michigan 114-63, clinching a
share of their third straight Big Ten title with the school's
most decisive conference victory ever. They tied with Ohio State,
which beat Minnesota 82-72.
"There was nothing that didn't go right today -- even the
huddles were too mundane," said Izzo, whose Spartans drained a
school-record 16 3-point field goals. "I didn't have anything to
complain about. And we couldn't have picked a better day with all
that was on the table."
Cleaves' 20 assists gave him 769 over his Big Ten career, moving
him past Illinois' Bruce Douglas on the league career list.
"I'm not big on individual things, but the assists are
special," Cleaves said. "The guys wanted me to get it. They were
all saying, 'Get me the ball. I'll get you the next assist.' "
The 114 points were the most scored by Michigan State in a Big
Ten game, with the 51-point margin the school's largest in
conference play, 14 more than its win against Northwestern in 1995.
"Fifty points or one point, a win is a win," Cleaves said.
"We weren't trying to embarrass anybody or rub it in anyone's
face. We just wanted to play hard and play a complete game."
Michigan State (23-7, 13-3) became only the sixth team to win
three consecutive regular-season Big Ten titles. Purdue -- the last
team to accomplish the feat, 1994-96 -- is the only one to do it
twice.
The Spartans' victory was their fourth straight over the
Wolverines (15-12, 6-10) and the most lopsided ever, surpassing a
31-point victory in 1960 while extending its school-record home
winning streak to 28 games.
"They play with a lot of passion and hunger, and today they
shot well," Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe said. "They clicked on
all cylinders today. They're peaking at the right time.
"We didn't do much of anything -- and that's an understatement.
I think we can put it behind us if we play them again (in the Big
Ten tournament). These young kids are resilient. We'll be
well-prepared if we play them again. We'll have a lot to draw from if that happens."
The Spartans trailed 5-4 Michigan before an 8-0 run put them ahead to stay.
Michigan State's tenacious defense held the Wolverines to only
six shots in the first six minutes of the game.
Bell, Morris Peterson and Andre Hutson combined for 34 points in
the first half as Michigan State opened a 51-24 lead at halftime.
Michigan State extended the lead to 57 points -- 99-42 -- on Steve Cherry's 3-pointer with 7:14 remaining.
Cleaves, who got his 20th assist on a basket by A.J. Granger with 6:04 to play, received a standing ovation when Izzo pulled him two minutes later.
"It was an emotional moment," Izzo said. "We helped each other grow. There's good and bad in every relationship. I took a little of Mateen's bad and he took a lot of my bad."
A.J. Granger finished with 18 points, Hutson had 15, Jason Richardson 13 and Peterson 12.
Josh Asselin led Michigan with 13 points.
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ALSO SEE
Mens College Basketball Scoreboard
Michigan Clubhouse
Michigan State Clubhouse
Buckeyes capture share of Big Ten crown
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Andre Hutson is the recipient of one of Mateen Cleaves' 20 assists.
avi: 659 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Charlie Bell finishes at the other end after the Michigan State steal.
avi: 963 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Brandon Smith finishes in the open court for the Wolverines.
avi: 612 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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