December 23, 1998

Box Score

LAIE, Hawaii - Reserve forward A.J. Granger scored 10 of his career-high 16 points during a 20-4 second-half run that enabled No. 15 Michigan State to pull away to a 75-58 victory over Alabama on Wednesday night in the championship game of the Pearl Harbor Classic.

The Spartans (9-3) were locked in a tight battle when Granger, whose previous scoring high was 10, knocked down a 3-pointer to start the rally. By the end of the run, Michigan State had a comfortable 57-47 lead.

The Crimson Tide (10-3) could not get any closer than seven points thereafter.

Until the rally, Michigan State struggled against the pesky Crimson Tide zone defense.

Alabama got early inside-outside scoring from MC Mazique and Brian Williams as it built an 8-point lead midway through the first half.

But Morris Peterson, voted the tournament's MVP, countered with five points to give Michigan State a 37-36 halftime lead.

A 7-0 start at the outset of the second half, with Williams scoring three points, gave Alabama back the lead, but Granger followed with his 3-pointer that touched off the Spartans' winning drive.

Andre Hutson and Mateen Cleaves each scored six points over the final 5:30 to cap an 18-7 spurt that sealed the victory.

Cleaves finished with 17 points to go with seven assists and Peterson added 12 points.

For the Crimson Tide, Mazique, who was 9-of-12 from the field, had 19 points and Williams added 16.

By GORDON SAKAMOTO
Associated Press Writer