Michigan State showed how a team which averages a modest 65.1 points per game can earn an at-large bid out of the tough Big Ten conference: suffocating defense.,”WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.–For the Golden Eagles, Thursday night would best be characterized as a sweltering green nightmare.

Michigan State showed how a team which averages a modest 65.1 points per game can earn an at-large bid out of the tough Big Ten conference: suffocating defense.

The Spartans smothered every Marquette possession en route to a 61-49 win. The scoring output marked a season-low for the Golden Eagles, who shot 31.9 percent from the field.

Marquette did not score until freshman David Cubillan hit a three-pointer with 10:19 left in the first half, making the score 14-3.

"I felt like our game plan was the only way we could play it," said head coach Tom Izzo, "and hope they didn't get too many threes."

Marquette hit 10-of-29 three-point attempts, accounting for 30 of its 49 points. But whenever the squad penetrated, the angles caved in. Wesley Matthews was unable get quality shots near the rim, finishing 2-of-9 from the field with six turnovers.

Sophomore Travis Walton catalyzed the Spartans' defense. His lateral quickness and physical strength frustrated Marquette's perimeter players. Matthews and James combined to shoot 8-of-25 from the field for 28 points.

"We knew they get a lot of points going to the basket," said Walton, who had a game-high four steals. "We just wanted to make them earn it from the outside. And for the most part, we did a great job."

There was rarely a possession when James, who scored a game-high 18 and shot 4-of-10 from outside, got into the lane. When he did get inside, his frontcourt teammates dropped crafty passes or missed layups.

Junior Ousmane Barro and freshman Lazar Hayward combined to score five points. Neither man scored until more than 10 minutes into the second half. The duo lacked concentration and fell asleep defensively on numerous possessions.

"I felt very confident in my defense," said James, who held Michigan State's leading scorer, Drew Neitzel (18.1 ppg), to 12 points. "I felt like I was doing a great job with (Neitzel). But there were a couple times where we started helping where there was no need for help. Then, they started getting to the basket for easy layups. That kind of takes a lot out of you."

Marquette's interior players lacked enough concentration to be outscored 20-0 in the paint in the first half. Freshman forward Raymar Morgan had a team-high 14 points and game-high nine rebounds while brutalizing Marquette inside on defense, much like all of his teammates did.

Morgan was another important component to the stifling Spartans' defense, which has held opponents to 56.2 ppg this season.

Marquette was relegated to desperation three-pointers because of Michigan State's team defense and Morgan's quickness in closing gaps. Marquette attempted only 18 shots inside the three-point line, compared to the 29 tries it had from three-point range.

And while the Golden Eagles' backcourt played well enough for the team to win, their frontcourt provided had no answer for Michigan State's physicality.

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