Dec. 29, 1996

Spartans Take Tourney Win from Weber State

Michigan State's run-and-gun offense proved to be too much for Weber State as the Spartans won 83-51 Saturday, Dec. 28.

The Spartans dominated the game against the Wildcats in the championship game of the Oldsmobile Spartan Classic at the Breslin Center.

Ray Weathers won the Tournament MVP award as he led all scorers with 13 points.

"He deserved the MVP award." Head Coach Tom Izzo said of Weathers. "Not only has he shot well he has done so many things for us right now. He's made himself a complete guard, instead of a one-dimensional guard. I'm really pleased for Ray."

Jon Garavaglia, who scored 25 points in the tournament, was also named to the All-Tournament team, as well as fellow Spartans Antonio Smith and Mateen Cleaves.

Smith was dominant in the paint as he hauled down 19 rebounds in the tourney. Cleaves led the potent fast-break offense with 15 assists in the tourney over the weekend.

Both Weber State coach Ron Abegglen and Kent State University coach Gary Waters were impressed with the speed of the Spartan offense.

"They run the court exceptionally well." Abegglen said. "We claim to be a running team, but we looked as if we were running in snow shoes."

Despite inconsistent play throughout the game and nagging injuries, MSU advanced to the championship game of the Olds Spartan Classic with a 83-64 win over Kent State University. Ray Weathers led the way with 18 points, Jon Garavaglia followed with 15 and Antonio Smith added 11.

Dec 28, 1996

NCAA BB  SPARTAN CLASSIC
         FINAL               1ST 2ND     TOTAL
         WEBER ST             23  28       51
         MICHIGAN ST          42  41       83    FINAL
 HIGH SCORERS:  WEBER ST - ALEX FISHER 12, DAMIEN BASKERVILLE
                12, MATT SPARROW 6
                MICHIGAN ST - RAY WEATHERS 13, MATEEN CLEAVES
                12, TWO PLAYERS WITH 10
 HIGH REBOUND:  WEBER ST - DAMIEN BASKERVILLE 10, TWO PLAYERS
                WITH 3
                MICHIGAN ST - JON GARAVAGLIA 10, ANTONIO SMITH 10
 HIGH ASSISTS:  WEBER ST - DAMIEN BASKERVILLE 4, RYAN CUFF 2
                MICHIGAN ST - MATEEN CLEAVES 8, THOMAS KELLY 5
ATTENDANCE:     13,702
                                                                        
WEBER ST (51)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Ketcham         19   0-0   0-0   0-1  0  1    0
Fisher          30  5-12   1-3   1-2  1  2   12
Wrigg           13   2-5   0-0   1-1  0  1    4
Baskerville     36  3-16   5-7  6-10  4  3   12
Cuff            20   2-8   1-2   2-2  2  2    5
Smith           10   1-1   0-0   0-2  0  2    2
Jama            16   1-5   0-0   0-1  0  0    2
Miller          19   2-4   0-0   1-3  1  0    5
Emery            5   0-0   0-0   0-2  0  0    0
Sparrow         14   3-4   0-0   1-2  0  3    6
Nebeker          6   0-1   2-2   0-0  0  1    2
Haws            12   0-0   1-4   1-3  0  2    1
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         200 19-56 10-18 13-29  8 17   51
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.339, FT-.556. 
3-Point Goals: 3-11, .273 (Fisher 1-5, Baskerville 1-2, Cuff 0-2, Miller 1-2). 
Team rebounds: 5. 
Blocked shots: 3 (Ketcham, Jama, Sparrow). 
Turnovers: 15 (Cuff 4, Ketcham 3, Baskerville 2, Haws 2, Fisher, Jama, Miller, Sparrow). 
Steals: 6 (Cuff 2, Baskerville, Emery, Fisher, Sparrow).
MICHIGAN ST (83)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Peterson        12   3-5   1-2   1-2  0  2    7
Smith           21   3-7   1-1  5-10  2  1    7
Garavaglia      23   5-7   0-0  3-10  1  3   10
Weathers        25   4-7   2-2   1-4  2  1   13
Cleaves         25  5-11   0-0   0-0  8  1   12
Kelly           17   1-4   0-0   0-2  5  1    2
Mull            15   4-9   0-0   2-2  0  1   10
Thomas          12   0-0   0-0   0-2  1  2    0
Webber           6   2-3   4-5   0-0  1  1    8
Polonowski      15   2-5   0-0   1-2  1  2    4
Granger         10   2-3   0-0   1-2  0  1    4
Klein           14   2-7   2-3   1-1  0  1    6
Wiley            5   0-0   0-0   1-1  0  1    0
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         200 33-68 10-13 16-38 21 18   83
_______________________________________________
Percentages: FG-.485, FT-.769. 
3-Point Goals: 7-17, .412 (Peterson 0-2, Weathers 3-4, Cleaves 2-3, Kelly 0-2, Mull
2-4, Klein 0-2).
Team rebounds: 3. 
Blocked shots: 1 (Wiley). 
Turnovers: 11 (Cleaves 3, Wiley 2, Garavaglia, Granger, Kelly, Klein, Smith, Weathers). 
Steals: 9 (Garavaglia 2, Granger 2, Cleaves, Peterson,
Thomas, Weathers, Wiley).
__________________________________
Weber St           23   28  -   51
Michigan St        42   41  -   83
__________________________________
Technical fouls: Weber St 1 (Nebeker).  
A: 13,702. 
Officials: Tom Clark, Sam Lickliter, Sid Rodeheffer.

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