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MSU to play UNC in hoops challenge at Ford Field

April 15, 2008

It’s rare to receive the finalized ACC/Big Ten Challenge schedule so distant from the beginning of an NCAA basketball season. This year is an exception.

And MSU men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo couldn’t be more excited — discovering Tuesday afternoon his team would battle North Carolina on Dec. 3 at Ford Field in Detroit for the 10th annual challenge.

“I was (surprised to hear so early) but I’m thrilled about it — it’s great for Michigan State, great for us and I think great for North Carolina,” Izzo said. “I knew they were working on something, so I was thrilled when I found out that’s what it was.”

Ford Field also is the site of the 2009 Final Four — a place Izzo previously said he knows would give his team a boost if they could get there next season.

For many years, Izzo has talked about how it’s unfortunate the schools never usually find out their opponents until after June — not being able to prepare for the highly-rated contests months in advance.

“This is the earliest we ever found out about something like this,” he said.

The two squads’ date in December will be the 11th in history between MSU and North Carolina, with the Baby Blue winning seven of the 10 games contested so far.

The most recent games between the two powerhouses came at the Final Four on April 2, 2005, when the Tar Heels took out the then-No. 15 Spartans, and again in 2007 when North Carolina defeated MSU 81-67 in the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

Izzo and his team will look to improve the Spartans’ 1-5 record against the Tar Heels on neutral floors.

The ACC holds nine consecutive overall conference victories over the Big Ten in the challenge.

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