Suton will be charged with shutting down — or at least trying to neutralize — North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough, who, in his last collegiate contest, will be looking to play the game of his life.

“I’ve seen Tyler Hansbrough go off on a lot of great defenders whether Goran is there or not,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. “I will say this: In the last four or five games, we’ve faced some pretty good centers, pretty good post people. G has done an incredible job of figuring out how to guard them.”

When MSU and North Carolina played Dec. 3, 2008, Hansbrough didn’t have to deal with Suton, who was still recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

Hansbrough took full advantage of Suton’s absence, finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds in only 27 minutes of action.

“I watched the game at home,” Suton said. “It was hard watching these guys play and not being there that time. But we have got a chance. I think it’s going to be a totally different game.”

Unlike senior forward Marquise Gray, who was Hansbrough’s primary defender in their first meeting, Suton has the versatility to defend Hansbrough both in the paint and out on the perimeter, where he has a deadly 15-to-18 foot jumper from the wing.

Suton also possesses the experience and intelligence to match the mental advantage Hansbrough usually possesses entering each game.

“He’s the one guy I don’t tell him how to guard them much,” Izzo said. “I think it’s the European part of him that, you know, skill-wise and understanding of the game, he really does a good job.”

Throughout the NCAA Tournament, Suton has been incredible at stopping the opposition’s best inside threat. He shut down Southern Cal’s forward Taj Gibson (three points, 0-of-2 from the field) and Louisville’s forward Samardo Samuels (zero points, 0-of-6), and he neutralized Kansas center Cole Aldrich and Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet.

Freshman forward Draymond Green said he expects Suton to have another strong performance against Hansbrough.

“He’s a great post defender, and he can make Hansbrough have to guard him as well,” Green said. “I think he’s going to make a big impact on this game and how it turns out.”

Suton’s scoring ability also could aid in stopping “Pyscho T,” who isn’t the most skilled post-defender. If Suton has a big game, he could fatigue Hansbrough or force him into foul trouble.

Hansbrough, who last faced Suton in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, said he’s impressed with Suton’s capacity to beat his opponent in multiple ways.

“Suton I think is a guy that, you know, is capable of shooting a 15-foot jumper and is a pretty good shooter outside,” Hansbrough said. “It adds a little bit (of a) different aspect than some guys down low banging all the time. I understand he goes to the boards, is a good rebounder, but you also have to contest him outside.”

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams also isn’t sleeping on Suton’s versatility, adding Suton’s absence is one of the biggest reasons his team was so successful against MSU in the first game.

“We caught them at an absolute perfect time,” Williams said. “But the bottom line is, I personally don’t think that that game will have much, if anything, to do with the game that we play (tonight).”