Michigan State Misses Cleaves in Texas Loss

No. 3-ranked Michigan State found out Saturday how much it needs injured guard Mateen Cleaves.

Michigan State squandered a 15-point lead with uncharacteristic lapses on defense in an 81-74 loss to No. 20 Texas in the championship game of the Puerto Rico Shootout in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Cleaves, a senior All-American guard, suffered a stress fracture in this right foot before the start of fall practice.

Michigan State (3-1) struggled without Cleaves’ leadership and defensive play after taking a 38-23 lead a minute before halftime. Texas (4-0) started to get uncontested shots from the perimeter and well-positioned ones close to the basket, making five three-point baskets and converting four three-point play opportunities to take a 57-52 lead midway through the second half.

Cleaves, sitting next to the Michigan State coaches, suddenly popped up from the bench and stood up on his leg cast, waving his hands to call for defense and yelling advice to Coach Tom Izzo. But he couldn’t get in the game and shut down players such as guard Ivan Wagner, who made five of six shots and had 17 points--including a long three-point basket that put Texas ahead 73-68 with 2:02 left.

Forward Morris Peterson, limited by three first-half fouls, made back-to-back three-point shots to pull Michigan State within to 77-74 with 49 seconds remaining. The Spartans had the ball with 34 seconds left, but Gabe Muoneke stole a pass and threw the ball to Wagner for a breakaway dunk put the game out of reach.

“We are understanding a little bit more that we can’t just not do the little things because of our situation,” Peterson said. “We can hang our heads, but we plan on coming out harder at practice.”

All five of Texas’ starters scored in double figures. Seven-foot center Chris Mihm had 19 points--making both of his three-point shots--to go with 11 rebounds and five blocks.

“I think they tried to physically wear us out in the first half,” Mihm said. “But we knew we could come back if we just stayed with it. Our guards made so many big shots.”

Peterson, the leading scorer (13.6 points a game) and most-accurate shooter (65.4% from the field) on a team that reached the Final Four last season, had 14 points but played only 16 minutes because of foul trouble.

And speaking of trouble, that’s what Michigan State could be in before Cleaves’ expected return at the start of Big Ten play in January. In December, the Spartans have road games against three nationally ranked teams--North Carolina, Arizona and Kentucky.

OTHER PUERTO RICO SHOOTOUT GAMES

Even though leading scorer Quentin Richardson got only five points, No. 18 DePaul still had enough to hold off South Carolina, 58-46, in the third-place game. Richardson, who had 50 points in the first two games of the tournament, missed nine of 11 shots and didn’t score after the game’s first seven minutes. Guard Kerry Hartfield made four of nine three-point shots and freshman forward Steven Hunter was six for six from the field to pick up the slack for DePaul (3-1). South Carolina (3-2) managed to slow the tempo of the game--working the shot clock inside five seconds five times--but shot only 37%.

Guard Keith Friel and swingman Willie Dersch scored 10 of Virginia’s final 15 points in a 70-64 victory over Arizona State in the fifth-place game. Dersch and Friel took over when leading scorer Donald Hand (19 points) got his fourth foul and came out of the game with 7:22 and Arizona ahead, 56-51. Dersch had only one basket when he made consecutive shots to bring Virginia (4-1) within 60-59. He fed a wide-open Chris Williams for the go-ahead basket and then extended the lead with a free throw. Friel--a transfer from Notre Dame--also had only one basket before making a three-point shot and two free throws to give the Cavaliers a 68-62 lead 1:09 left. Arizona State (2-2) had five of its 20 turnovers in the decisive six-minute span.

Providence (2-3) shot 61.7% and set a school scoring record in a 120-60 victory over host American University of Puerto Rico (0-3) in the seventh-place game. Providence’s highest previous point total was 118 against Western Kentucky in 1973. It was the first time in three years that the Friars had gone over 100. Junior forward Erron Maxey made 12 of 15 shots to lead Providence with 25 points.

OTHER TOURNAMENTS

No. 1 Cincinnati (3-0) opened the game with an 11-0 run and went on for an 88-67 victory over Santa Clara (2-1) in the Big Island Invitational in Hilo, Hawaii. Santa Clara missed its first nine shots, then had five turnovers during a 10-0 run that gave Cincinnati a 37-12 lead with 4:41 left in the half. Senior center Kenyon Martin had 19 points and freshman guard DerMarr Johnson had 16 for Cincinnati, which will play Iowa State (3-1) for the tournament championship. Iowa State made seven of eight three-point shots in a 77-71 victory over Arkansas (2-1). The game was the 2,000th for Arkansas, which has a record of 1,317-683.

Freshman reserve forward Drew Gooden had 20 points and 11 rebounds as No. 10 Kansas (4-0) neutralized Georgia Tech (3-1) and its big men in a 84-70 victory in the championship game of the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage. The matchup between seven-footers Eric Chenowith of Kansas and Jason Collier of Georgia Tech was overshadowed by the play of Gooden and the rest of Kansas reserves, who had 42 points. Chenowith and Collier both had 13 points and eight rebounds, while Georgia Tech’s 6-11 Alvin Jones had 11 points and seven rebounds.

Lloyd Price and David West each scored 21 points to lead Xavier of Ohio (3-1) to an 81-65 victory over Washington (2-2) in the third-place game of the Great Alaska Shootout. Xavier led the entire game, and by as many as 20 points. Sophomore guard Senque Carey led Washington 15 points.

NONTOURNAMENT GAMES

Senior forward Glendon Alexander had 19 points to lead six double-figure scorers for No. 21 Oklahoma State (4-0) in a 103-65 victory North Texas (0-2) at Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State, which shot 60%. also got strong efforts from forward Brian Montonati (14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in 26 minutes), swingman Desmond Mason (14 points and 10 rebounds) and point guard Doug Gottlieb (16 assists and 13 points).

Ryan Sears and Ben Walker each had 19 points and six rebounds for Creighton (2-0) at Omaha, Neb. in an 85-76 victory over No. 23 Iowa (2-2)--the Bluejays’ second win in as many years over the Hawkeyes. Creighton trailed just once--after Iowa center Jacob Jaacks opened the game with a layup--and shot 56%, including nine for 20 from three-point range. Creighton fans, who chanted “over-rated” with victory in hand in the final minute, rushed the floor after the buzzer and swarmed the Bluejay players at midcourt. Dean Oliver led Iowa with 19 points and six assists.

Sophomore swingman Mike Bush had career highs with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Washington State (2-1) in a 70-65 victory over Idaho (1-2) at Pullman, Wash. All five of Idaho’s starters were on the bench at the beginning of the game for a disciplinary action that Coach David Farrar refused to discuss. All of the players eventually got in the game. Washington State, which scored the game’s first 11 points, leads the long-running series between neighboring schools, 150-105.

Senior forward Jarrett Stephens 21 points and a career-high 13 rebounds to lead Penn State (3-0) to an 85-57 victory over Boston College (2-1) at State College, Pa.--the Nittany Lions’ 42nd consecutive victory at home over a nonconference opponent. Penn State’s starters outscored those of Boston College, 63-34.

Forward Antonio Meeking had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Louisiana Tech (2-1) to a 68-60 victory at Saint Louis, which suffered its first loss under Coach Lorenzo Romar--who came from Pepperdine to replace retired Charlie Spoonhour. Saint Louis is 3-1.

Forward Jeryl Sasser had 24 points and 18 rebounds to lead Southern Methodist (3-0) to a 94-80 victory at Houston (2-2). The game was the first between the two former members of the defunct Southwestern Conference since 1996.