Spartan Seniors Prepare For Last Game At The Breslin Center
March 4, 2005 EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#12/14 Michigan State (21-5, 12-3) vs.Penn State (7-21, 1-14) Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (97.5 FM/1240 AM) TV: ESPN Plus Local - Craig Coshun (Play by Play), Greg Kelser (color) The Opening Tip Five Michigan State's seniors (Alan Anderson, Tim Bograkos, Andy Harvey, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert) are playing in their final home game tonight at the Breslin Center. Over the past four years, this group has compiled an 80-42 record, while playing arguably one of the toughest four-year schedules in NCAA history. This year, they will play in their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament, extending the Big Ten's longest active streak to eight straight tournaments for MSU. Additionally, all five will receive their undergraduate degrees this year. MSU Game Notes
The Starting Five The Minnesota Spartan - Alan Anderson is playing his best basketball down the stretch of his Spartan career, leading the team in scoring in Big Ten games (13.9 ppg). Over the last 12 games, he's averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds. After not scoring 20 points in any of his first 116 games, he has done it twice in the last three games, including 28 vs. Wisconsin and 22 vs. Northwestern. Having played four different positions in his career, Anderson leads all current Spartans with 103 career starts. Mr. Floor Burn - Tim Bograkos didn't have many options coming out of high school, but he was invited to walk on at Michigan State. After redshirting during MSU's run to the Final Four in 2001, Bograkos took the floor in 2001-02, establishing himself as a tough-nosed player, willing to give up his body for the good of the team. Known primarily as a defensive stopper, he will forever be remembered for hitting the game-winning 3-pointer in MSU's win at Kentucky in 2002. He received his first undergraduate degree last May (advertising) and will receive a second this year (communication). The Walk-On From Escanaba - Andy Harvey is making his first career start tonight, appearing in his 22nd game over the last three years. For the last four years, he has been a valuable member of the scout team in practice, pushing his teammates to excel while preparing for their next opponent. Harvey has scored one point in his career, but is still searching for his first field goal. The Ultimate Student-Athlete - Chris Hill was not on anyone's top-100 list coming out of high school. Michigan State recruited him to be a role player and a good shooter off the bench. But Hill has exceeded all expectations. He is a two-time Second-Team All-Big Ten honoree and the 2003 team MVP. He ranks 11th in career scoring (1,495 points), seventh in career assists (428) and second in career 3-point field goals (299). In the classroom, Hill is a three-time Academic All-American, including back-to-back first-team honors, while earning 2005 Academic All-American of the Year accolades. A True Team Player - Kelvin Torbert arrived at Michigan State as the national high school player of the year, but he had the ego of a walk-on just happy to be part of the team. After a prep career as a prolific scorer, Torbert is a three-time honoree of MSU's Best Defensive Player award. Having started for his first three years, he willingly accepted the role of MSU's sixth man this season. He shot .411 from the field over his first two seasons, but .535 over the last two. In the first meeting with Penn State this year, he recorded his 1,000th-career point. Game 26 Notes - MSU 69 - Northwestern 58 - March 2, 2005 * Paul Davis tied his career high with 12 rebounds, including a career-best six offensive boards. It also marked the 10th double-figure rebounding game in his career, but the first of those 10 times in which he did not record a double-double. * For the third time this season, two Spartans (Alan Anderson - 22 points; Maurice Ager - 20 points) scored 20 points in the same game. It also marked the second time that MSU's only two double-figure scorers both scored 20, as Ager (22) and Shannon Brown (20) both scored at least 20 against Purdue (1/18). * Michigan State made nine of its first 11 shots over the first 8:57 of the game. * Alan Anderson scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. * Michigan State recorded 17 turnovers compared to Northwestern's 12. In the first meeting of the year, the Spartans committed a season-low 8, while forcing 19. * Michigan State committed 11 of its 17 turnovers in the second half, including nine during a 20-8 Northwestern run midway through the second half. Penn State Nittany Lions Coach DeChellis - Ed DeChellis (Penn State, '82) is 16-40 in his second year at Penn State. Overall, he is 121-133 in nine seasons as a collegiate head coach. He served as head coach at East Tennessee State from 1996-2003. Nittany Lion Notes - Penn State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds (12.71 orpg) ... Aaron Johnson leads the conference in rebounding (9.9 rpg), including a league-best 4.04 offensive rebounds per game ... Freshman Geary Claxton has scored in double figures in 14 of Penn State's 15 games, leading the Nittany Lions in scoring with a 14.3 ppg average ... Marlon Smith, whose 33 points against Long Island (Dec. 29) mark the most by any Big Ten player this season, has missed the last 14 games with a partial blockage of an artery in his brain related to a small blood clot. MSU-PSU Notes Series History - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 21-3, including a 13-0 edge in games played in East Lansing. The Nittany Lions' three wins in the series have been by a combined seven points. The Spartans have won five straight games in the series and 13 consecutive regular-season meetings. Tom Izzo is 14-2 in his career against Penn State. The Last Meeting - MSU 84 - Penn State 58 - Jan. 5, 2005 - State College - In the Big Ten opener, Penn State held a 16-13 lead with 14:01 left in the first half. Michigan State responded with a 17-2 run to take a 30-18 lead with 7:39 remaining. Leading 40-30 at the half, MSU allowed PSU to score the first basket of the second half. Kelvin Torbert answered with a 3-pointer and the Nittany Lions never got closer than 10 points after that. When Chris Hill hit a 3-pointer at the 14:07 mark, the Spartan lead stood at 19. After shooting 45.5 percent in the first half, MSU shot 57.7 percent in the second half, including 50 percent from behind the arc. With 11 points, Kelvin Torbert scored the 1,000th point of his career. The Spartans turned 20 PSU turnovers into 33 points. Alan Anderson led MSU with 17 points, while Geary Claxton paced the Nittany Lions with 20 points. The Last Meeting In East Lansing - MSU 76 - Penn State 58 - Jan. 14, 2004 - Michigan State opened the game with a 13-4 run over the first five minutes. The Spartans led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but Penn State pulled within five points in the final minutes. MSU responded, however, scoring the final five points of the first half and the first six points of the second half to extend its lead to 43-27. The Nittany Lions never got closer than 11 points after that. Chris Hill led five Spartans in double figures with 17 points, while also scoring his 1,000th-career point and becoming the third player in MSU history to make 200 3-point field goals. Aaron Johnson led Penn State with 17 points. MSU Player Notables - Five Spartans have double-figure career scoring averages against Penn State, led by Chris Hill at 14.4 points per game ... Hill is shooting 55.6 percent from the field against PSU, including 48.6 percent from 3-point range, while Torbert is shooting 58.8 percent, including 55.6 percent from behind the arc. MSU Basketball Notes Hill Recognized As Top Student-Athlete - On March 2, Chris Hill was named the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year, while repeating as a First-Team Academic All-American. Hill owns a 3.75 grade-point average in finance and is a member of MSU's Honors College. He was a first-team honoree in 2004 after earning third-team honors in 2003. He is the only two-time honoree in MSU history. MSU In March - Michigan State is 31-10 in March since the 1998-99 season. For his career, Tom Izzo is 38-17 in March. The Free Throw Story - According to the most recent NCAA statistics, Michigan State leads the nation in free-throw percentage (79.6 pct. through Feb. 28). The Spartans are currently shooting 79.3 percent from the foul line, including six players who are shooting at least 81.0 percent. Among players with at least 20 attempts, Alan Anderson paces the way, connecting on 89.8 percent of his attempts (88-of-98). In fact, Anderson, Kelvin Torbert (85.5 percent) Shannon Brown (85.3 percent) and Maurice Ager (81.0 percent) rank first, second, third and sixth in the Big Ten in free-throw percentage. In conference games, Michigan State's 79.6 percent is slightly below Purdue's 1969 squad which currently holds the league record at 80.6 percent. MSU is shooting 80.6 percent in games which it won and 73.4 percent in games which it lost. Spartans Off To Strong Start - Michigan State's 21-5 record is its best 26-game mark since the 2000-01 squad posted a 23-3 record in its first 26 contests and is tied for the fourth best in school history. MSU opened the 1977-78 and 1998-99 seasons with a 22-4 mark. In 1978-79, 1989-90 and 1994-95, the Spartans also opened at 21-5. Breslin Success - Michigan State has sold out 111 consecutive regular-season games at the Breslin Center. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Michigan State has won 98 of its last 105 regular-season games in Breslin, a winning percentage of .933. This season, MSU is 13-1 at home, averaging 83.1 points, shooting 51.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from 3-point range at the Breslin Center. Second-Half Shooting - Michigan State has shot 50 percent or better in the second half in each of the last seven games, and in 11 of 15 Big Ten games. In the last four games, the Spartans are shooting 59.6 percent in the second half. Big Ten Road Warriors - Michigan State finished with a 6-2 record on the road in Big Ten play this season. The secret to its success was its defense, as the Spartans held opponents to 39.2 percent shooting and just 60.1 points per game. No team scored more than 64 points in regulation (Indiana finished with 78 points in overtime). All six Spartan victories were by double figures, marking the first time a MSU squad has recorded six double-digit road victories in a Big Ten season. Spartan Depth - Through 26 games, 10 Michigan State Spartans are averaging at least 9.6 minutes of action, including six players playing more than 22 minutes. No single player is averaging more than 26.1 minutes per contest. Michigan State is the only school in the Big Ten that does not have a single player averaging 30 minutes per game. A Switch At The Point - After coming off the bench for the first 18 games of the season, freshman Drew Neitzel has started the last seven at point guard. As a starter, Neitzel is averaging 4.6 points, 2.9 assists and 1.1 turnovers, compared to just 2.6 points as a reserve. Neitzel replaced Chris Hill in the starting lineup, and the change has sparked Hill's performance. The senior is averaging 10.0 points and 4.3 assists off the bench, compared to 9.2 points as a starter. The 1,000 Club - Michigan State's roster features four players with 1,000-career points, including seniors Chris Hill (1,495), Kelvin Torbert (1,126), Alan Anderson (1,099) and junior Paul Davis (1,046). This is the first time that a single MSU senior class has produced three 1,000-point scorers and the first time in school history that a single Spartan squad has had four 1,000-point scorers. MSU is just the seventh team in Big Ten history and the 47th team in NCAA history with four 1,000-point scorers on the same team. For just five of the seven Big Ten teams, did all four players score all 1,000 points at that school. Balanced Scoring - Michigan State features four players averaging double figures in scoring, and two others averaging at least 9.4 points, led by Maurice Ager at 13.7 points per game. Until recently, MSU had been the only team in the nation with six players scoring in double-figures. By comparison, just three Spartans averaged in double figures last year, after Chris Hill was the only player to do so in 2002-03. Winning Comfortably - According to the most recent NCAA Stats (through games of Feb. 28), Michigan State ranks sixth in the nation in scoring margin (+15.1). MSU's current margin of victory is +14.9. The Spartans have won 19 of their 26 games this season by double figures. MSU's Prolific Offense - Michigan State's offense is averaging 78.0 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten and 22nd in the nation (as of 2/21). It is MSU's highest-scoring offense since the 1994-95 Spartans averaged 78.4 points, led by Shawn Respert's 25.6 points per game. 20-Win Seasons - With a 77-64 victory over Wisconsin, Michigan State recorded its 20th win of the season. It is the sixth 20-win season in the last eight years for the Spartans and the 14th in school history. In fact, of the 14 20-win seasons in Michigan State history, Tom Izzo has been involved with 11 of them, six as a head coach and five as an assistant to Jud Heathcote. Second Half Spurts - In nine of the last 12 games, Michigan State has opened the second half with a little run. Consider the following runs that MSU has used to open the second half (Wisconsin (2/24) - 8-2 over 2:05; Minnesota (2/16) - 6-0 over 2:55; Michigan (2/12) - 20-12 over 8:50; Ohio State (2/9) - 9-2 over 3:43; Iowa (2/5) - 14-4 over 4:21; Illinois (2/1) - 7-2 over 1:07; Oakland (1/29) - 12-2 over 3:55; Michigan (1/27) - 8-0 over 2:10; Minnesota (1/22) - 7-2 over 1:56). Hitting The Boards - Michigan State is doing a much better job rebounding the basketball this season than it did last year. The Spartans are out-rebounding their opponents by a +8.5 margin. According to the most recent NCAA statistics, they rank sixth in the nation (+8.3 as of Feb. 28). They are also hitting the offensive glass, grabbing 11.69 offensive boards per game. MSU leads the conference in rebounding margin and ranks third in offensive rebounds. Rebounding is also a good indicator of the team's success. MSU is 20-3 when it out-rebounds its opponent, 1-2 when it is out-rebounded. In Big Ten games, MSU's margin is +9.1. The Spartans are out-rebounding their last seven opponents by an average margin of +11.9. Anderson Feeling Comfortable - With the addition of Drew Neitzel to help handle the point guard duties, Alan Anderson has been able to return to his natural forward position. The change has led to increased production, as he is currently averaging career highs with 13.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, shooting a career-best 55.3 percent from the field. In Big Ten games, he leads the team in scoring (13.9 ppg) and ranks second in rebounding (5.9 rpg). He recorded his first career double-double against Iowa (11 pts., 11 reb.) and was just one rebound shy against Ohio State (16 pts., 9 reb.). Recently, he scored a career-best 28 points against Wisconsin. Spartans Share The Ball - One of the greatest traits of this Michigan State team is its unselfishness. Through 26 games, MSU is averaging 17.62 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. The Spartans have recorded assists on 458 of their 716 baskets (63.9 percent). One For The Record Books - Alan Anderson turned in one of the best shooting performances in school history against Wisconsin. He shot 10-of-10 from the field and 7-of-7 from the foul line en route to a career-high 28 points. Anderson joins Ron Charles (12-of-12; Jan. 24, 1980), Carlton Valentine (11-of-11; Dec. 2, 1986) and Bob Chapman (11-of-11; Dec. 2, 1977) as the only players in MSU history to shoot 100 percent from the field, taking at least 10 shots. Of those players, Anderson is the only one to also shoot 100 percent at the foul line. He is also the first player to shoot at least 10-of-10 in Breslin Center history. Talking Defense - Michigan State's defense has been much improved this season. Spartan opponents are shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point range, allowing just 63.0 points per game. In Big Ten games, the Spartans rank second in the league in scoring defense (62.1 ppg) and fourth in field-goal percentage defense (.433). Over the last eight games, MSU is holding its opponents to 41.7 percent shooting, including 32.1 percent from 3-point range, allowing 62.6 points per game. Using The Bench - Michigan State's bench has outscored its opponent's bench in 22 out of 26 games. In fact, Spartan subs have scored 264 more points (10.15 per game). In 12 of the 26 games, MSU's bench advantage has been greater than 10 points, including seven of 18 or more. One reason for MSU's advantage is the experienced talent it brings off the bench with two All-Big Ten performers. Kelvin Torbert, a third-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2004, has been MSU's sixth man all season. Chris Hill, a second-team all-league performer in 2003 and 2004, has come off the bench in seven straight games. In the last seven games, the Spartan bench has an average scoring advantage of +13.7. Mr. Double-Double - Paul Davis has recorded a double-double in four of his last eight games. The trend started with a 10-point, 12-rebound game at Iowa. In the next game, he scored 10 points and grabbed a career-best tying 12 rebounds vs. Ohio State, marking the first time in his career that he had recorded double-doubles in back-to-back games. He scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds again against Minnesota. Most recently, he recorded 13 points and 11 rebounds vs. Wisconsin. He has recorded six double-doubles this season and nine in his career. Over the last eight games, Davis is averaging 10.3 points and 9.5 rebounds. Hill Moves Up Career Scoring List - Chris Hill currently stands in 11th place on the MSU all-time scoring list at 1,495 points. With 47 points, he will move into the top 10, passing Mateen Cleaves (1,541). Hill In Elite Company - Chris Hill (1,495 points, 428 assists) is just the fourth player in Michigan State history to record 1,400 points and 400 assists in his career. Mateen Cleaves (1,541 points, 816 assists), Scott Skiles (2,145 points, 645 assists) and Steve Smith (2,263 points, 453 assists) are the other three Spartans to accomplish this feat. Hill is also just the 24th player in Big Ten history to reach the milestone. Torbert Hits The Mark - After shooting 41.1 percent from the floor in his first two seasons, Kelvin Torbert is shooting 53.5 percent in his last two years. This season, he ranks second in the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (.867). In 2003-04, he was the only Big Ten player to rank in the top 10 in all three shooting categories, ranking 8th in field-goal percentage (.534), 1st in 3-point field-goal percentage (.484) and 6th in free-throw percentage (.800). His .588 3-point percentage in conference games in 2003-04 is the second highest mark in conference history. Ager's Explosion - Maurice Ager is currently playing the best basketball of his Spartan career. Finally healthy for the first time in three seasons, Ager is having a very good junior campaign. He leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.7 points per game, and ranks third in rebounding with 3.8 boards per contest. He entered the season averaging 7.5 points for his career, shooting 39.2 percent, including 36.9 percent from 3-point range. His accuracy has improved greatly this season, shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from 3-point range. MSU In NCAA Stats - According to the most recent NCAA statistics (through games of 2/28), MSU ranks in the top 10 in four categories nationally and in the top 25 in six categories. The Spartans lead the nation in free-throw percentage (.796), rank 6th in scoring margin (+15.1) and rebound margin (+8.3), 7th in assists per game (17.7), 12th in field-goal percentage (.499) and 22nd in scoring offense (78.3). The Turnover Story - Taking care of the basketball continues to be a point of emphasis for the Spartans. Michigan State is 12-0 this season when committing fewer turnovers than its opponents, but just 9-5 when committing an equal number or more than the opposition. On the season, MSU is averaging 13.9 turnovers per game. MSU ranks fourth in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+1.27) and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.27). Spartan Point Guards Value The Ball - Michigan State's two point guards, Chris Hill and Drew Neitzel, have done a remarkable job taking care of the basketball over the last 21 games. In that stretch, the two have combined for 151 assists and just 53 turnovers (Hill - 96 assists, 33 turnovers; Neitzel - 55 assists, 20 turnovers). In the last 17 games, Hill has recorded 79 assists and 25 turnovers, while Neitzel has recorded 51 assists and 18 turnovers in his last 19 games. Taking Turns - Through 26 games, six different Spartans have led the team in scoring this season. Alan Anderson has done it nine times, while Maurice Ager has done it eight times. Paul Davis has done it six times. Kelvin Torbert and Chris Hill have led the team in three games and Shannon Brown has done it once. Hill's Ratio - Chris Hill currently leads the Big Ten with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.00-to-1. That number ranks first among Spartan point guards of the last 20 years, ahead of solid point guards like Mateen Cleaves (1.9 in his last three years); Mark Montgomery (2.3 as a junior), Scott Skiles (2.0 as a senior) and Eric Snow (2.5 as a junior and senior). Big Ten Leaders - The Spartans lead the conference in four statistical categories, including free-throw percentage (.793), rebounding offense (35.9), rebounding defense (27.5) and rebounding margin (+8.5). MSU ranks in the top three in 11 of 19 categories. Individually, Chris Hill leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.00-to-1, while Alan Anderson paces the league in free-throw percentage (.898). Hill For Three - Chris Hill is among the best 3-point shooters in MSU history. He ranks second in career 3-point field goals made (299) and career attempts (705) and sixth in career 3-point field-goal percentage (.425). Hill has made at least one 3-point field goal in 115 of 122 games in his career. His 299 career 3-point field goals rank fifth in Big Ten history, 35 behind Big Ten career leader Pete Lisicky of Penn State. He Can Pass, Too - In addition to all of his scoring and long-range shooting, Chris Hill is positioned to finish his career among the school's all-time leaders in assists. He currently stands in seventh place in MSU history with 428 career assists. Hill dished out a season-best nine assists against UNC Asheville and recorded eight assists against Stanford. No Sophomore Slump - In 2003-04, Shannon Brown earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team, averaging 7.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game. This season, he is averaging 10.7 points and 3.2 boards in 24.4 minutes per contest. Recently, he posted career highs in scoring (20 points) and rebounding (9 boards) against Purdue (1/18). Chris Hill Off The Court - Chris Hill has been named the 2004 Playboy Magazine Anson Mount Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In recognition of this honor, Michigan State University receives a $5,000 check for its general scholarship fund in Hill's name. Now in its 17th year, the purpose of the award is to call attention to the importance of scholarship combined with excellence in collegiate athletics and to honor an individual who personifies the best qualities of both. In 2003-04, Hill earned first-team Academic All-America honors, becoming the first Spartan to accomplish that feat since Greg Kelser in 1979. This season, he has named first-team all-district honors, earning a spot on the All-America ballot. The Century Mark - Michigan State opened the season with three consecutive 100-point games for just the second time in school history (1963-64). Prior to this season, Tom Izzo's Spartans had topped 100 points just twice in his nine full seasons. Winning The Right Way - In addition to excelling on the court, the Spartans are standouts in the classroom. Fourteen Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees over the last five years, including five each in 2001 and 2003. The Golden Arches - Michigan State is becoming the home for McDonald's All-Americans. Over the past six seasons, seven McDonald's All-Americans have joined the Spartan squad, including Jason Richardson in 1999, Marcus Taylor and McDonald's All-American All-Star game MVP Zach Randolph in 2000, Kelvin Torbert in 2001, Paul Davis in 2002 and Shannon Brown and Brandon Cotton in 2003. Home To Mr. Basketball - Five of the last six recipients of Michigan's Hal Schram Mr. Basketball Award, presented to the top high school player in the state, have gone on to wear a Spartan jersey. Jason Richardson (Saginaw Arthur Hill HS) won the award in 1999, followed by Marcus Taylor (Lansing Waverly HS) in 2000, Kelvin Torbert (Flint Northwestern HS) in 2001, Paul Davis (Rochester HS) in 2002 and Drew Neitzel (Wyoming Park HS) in 2004. While the 2003 winner did not attend MSU, Shannon Brown (Proviso East HS) captured Illinois' Mr. Basketball Award that same year. Experience Matters - Michigan State players have a combined 442 starts in their careers, including 280 career starts for Alan Anderson, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert. Entering the season, MSU's returning players had 312 career starts (most in the Big Ten) and 601 career appearances (second most in the Big Ten). The trio of Anderson, Hill and Torbert had 235 career starts, making them the most experienced trio in the Big Ten. The Spartans also return 93.7 percent of their scoring, 85.6 percent of their rebounding and 88.3 percent of their minutes from last year. Another Difficult Slate - Michigan State has put together another challenging schedule in 2004-05. It includes five teams that appeared in the 2004 NCAA Tournament (Duke, Illinois, Florida A&M, Stanford and Wisconsin) and five that appeared in the NIT (George Mason, George Washington, Iowa, Michigan and Purdue). Spartans In The NBA - Listed below is an update on seven former Spartans currently on NBA rosters: (Stats current through Feb. 10) Mateen Cleaves (Seattle): 10 GP, 1.6 mpg, 0.2 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 0.3 apg Morris Peterson (Toronto): 53 GP, 27.9 mpg, 11.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 42 GP, 35.2 mpg, 18.9 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 2.0 apg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 44 GP, 38.2 mpg, 22.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.9 apg Steve Smith (Charlotte): 36 GP, 17.6 mpg, 8.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.6 apg Eric Snow (Cleveland): 50 GP, 22.5 mpg, 4.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 3.7 apg Kevin Willis (Atlanta): 28 GP, 11.3 mpg, 2.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.3 apg
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