Tampa, Fla. - It was a rematch of the 2000 NCAA National Championship game, and the Spartans wanted to follow the same script.
MSU did just that Sunday night with a 68-46 mauling of the second-seeded Gators. The Spartans trailed only once, a 3-2 Gator lead which lasted only 16 seconds. MSU led by double-digits for most of the game, twice holding a 26-point advantage.
With the win, the seventh-seeded Spartans (21-12) are making a Sweet 16 appearance for the fifth time in six seasons.
"You might have seen Michigan State play the best we can play on both ends of the floor," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. "This is one time I think you have to give us more credit than them blame. This was a weekend they put everything together. I'm not sure I've ever been prouder of a group of guys."
MSU seemed to exert more energy than usual from the opening tip.
Much of the energy stemmed from the Spartans playing a up-tempo first half, pushing the ball up the court every time they had a chance.
The result was more Gator turnovers, easy hoops and longer possessions for the Spartans.
One possession in particular defines the Spartans outplaying the Gators (25-8) in every phase.
With the Spartans leading 30-23 in the first half, freshman guard Maurice Ager missed a triple, but senior forward Adam Ballinger ripped the rebound away from a pair of Gators.
Then, sophomore guard Kelvin Torbert missed a 15-footer, but this time, Ballinger out-muscled a trio of Gators to grab the board. Soon after, the ball was kicked out to sophomore forward/guard Alan Anderson who drove the baseline for a one-handed slam.
"In the moment, you really don't think of it that way," sophomore guard Chris Hill said of the play being the game's turning point.
got a lot of contributions from a lot of different players all night, so I couldn't really point at one play."
Florida had no answer for the Spartans' offense. MSU shot a blistering 55.6 percent for the game, including 70 percent in the first half.
The Gators also couldn't break through the chain-like Spartan defense.
MSU used both man-to man and a 2-3 zone defense, which forced Florida into 14 turnovers and 37.2 percent shooting for the game, including 5-for-21 from 3-point land.
"I thought Michigan State played outstanding," Florida head coach Billy Donovan said. "We had an opportunity to tear into their lead, but we didn't make shots.
"All their guys stepped up. Every time they needed a basket, someone stepped up and they answered the bell."
Three Spartans reached double-digits in the win.
Ager led the way with a career-high 16 points, while Hill and freshman forward Erazem Lorbek each added 12.
Izzo said this win ranks up there with not only the best this season, but possibly Spartan history.
"To come down here and win against what I think is a very good basketball team is special," he said.
"I told our guys, 'There are times in your life that are memory makers - things you remember 10 or 15 years from now,' and this was one of those times."
