Michigan State University
Cornell
Men's Basketball Tops Cornell By 33
11/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Even a 33-point victory was not enough to satisfy Michigan State coach Tom Izzo.
"We played OK, but we're not getting better," Izzo said after the defending national champion Spartans beat Cornell 89-56 Friday in the Spartan Classic semifinals.
Andre Hutson and Charlie Bell combined for 29 points as Michigan State won its 13th straight game overall and 30th in a row at Breslin Center.
"We got a win, somehow, but we didn't play with the same intensity that we did against Oakland (last Sunday)," Izzo said. "For the most part tonight, we were a step slow. They went around us like water through a tin horn."
Hutson led the Spartans (2-0) with 15 points, Bell had 14 and Jason Richardson scored 12.
"We played good enough in spurts but everybody wasn't always on the same page," Hutson said. "We had some guys who weren't ready to play tonight."
Ka'Ron Barnes topped Cornell (0-2) with 15 points.
Michigan State, seeking its fifth straight championship in the tournament, will play Saturday against the winner of the semifinal between Bradley and Eastern Washington.
Michigan State led 38-18 at halftime and scored the first eight points of the second half.
The Spartans' lead eventually reached 35 points with about nine minutes remaining, and Cornell never got closer than 28 the rest of the way.
Michigan State outrebounded the Big Red 47-26, including a 20-5 advantage on the offensive boards.
Barnes hit a 3-pointer to bring Cornell to 16-13, but Michigan State answered with a 14-0 run. Richardson and Dave Thomas combined for 10 points in the spurt that gave the Spartans a 30-13 advantage with 4:27 left in the first half.
Bell had 12 points in the first half, and Richardson and Hutson scored eight apiece.
"I think we were intimidated with the atmosphere," said Steve Donahue, in his first season as Cornell's coach. "It takes a while to get used to. We can't duplicate their speed and quickness in practice."
