Michigan State University
Chaminade
No. 2 MSU Tops Chaminade, 82-74
11/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2010
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) - Kalin Lucas had 28 points, Korie Lucious added 13 and No. 2 Michigan State prevented another Chaminade miracle by holding off the Silverswords 82-74 in the first round of the Maui Invitational Monday night.
Chaminade (3-1) is best known for its 1982 win over top-ranked Virginia, still one of the greatest upsets in college basketball history.
Fearless against one of the nation's pre-eminent programs, the Silverswords had another upset in their sites, keeping the Spartans (3-0) on the ropes well into the second half.
Michigan State held its composure against the hometown favorites, though, sticking close before going on a game-deciding run midway through. The Spartans move on to face Connecticut in the semifinals.
Steven Bennett led Chaminade with 20 points and 11 assists, and Mamadou Diarra added 16 points, 12 rebounds and blocked five shots.
Chaminade is loaded with shooters and has done the David-vs-Goliath thing once with its win over Ralph Sampson and the Cavaliers on these same islands. The Division II Silverswords haven't faced a team ranked this high since, though, and didn't figure to match up well with Michigan State.
The Spartans, coming off consecutive Final Fours, are as deep, talented and experienced as any team in the country, a popular pick to win a second national title under coach Tom Izzo.
A walkover waiting to happen, right?
Chaminade didn't think so.
The Silverswords weren't intimated by the big, bad Spartans at all, went right at them even.
Bennett, Chaminade's 5-foot-6 guard/blur, drove fearlessly to the lane to cast shots high off the glass over Michigan State's defenders, confidently stroked in 3-pointers from three feet and more behind the arc.
Diarra, the other half of Chaminade's big-and-tall combination, flicked in a couple of jump hooks, threw down a two-handed dunk and used his 7-foot reach to meet Adreian Payne and Summers at the rim for swats.
A little over halfway through the first half of this supposed blowout, Chaminade appeared ready to ring the upset bell again, leading 33-25 over the shellshocked Spartans.
Michigan State tried to put an end to this potential down-in-history nightmare. Lucious hit a pair of 3s, Lucas pulled up for jumpers and got to the rim, Draymond Green launched himself airborne to steal an inbound pass.
Chaminade still wouldn't go away, answering every Spartans' run with a big 3-pointer or runner in the lane. Even when Diarra missed a rebound slam at the halftime buzzer, the Silverswords were giddy, racing out onto the floor for high-fives and slaps on the back after tying mighty Michigan State 39-all.
It didn't end there.
The Silverswords weren't satisfied with a moral-victory halftime tie and opened the second half still firing, getting three 3-pointers from Hanson in the first 4 minutes to go up 50-45.
Then the Spartans hit the accelerator and ran over Chaminade's hopes.
Turning up the defensive pressure and getting out on the break, Michigan State followed with a 20-3 run, going up 69-53 on Lucas' fastbreak layup with 11 1/2 minutes left.
