KEYS TO THE GAME

* STYLE OF PLAY: Michigan State loves to bang bodies in the paint. The Spartans usually send four players crashing to the boards and have outrebounded four tournament opponents by an average of 18.5 a game. They are very fundamentally sound, although they aren’t great shooters. Arizona is loaded with talent and plays best at high speed. Gilbert Arenas can bury shots from all over the floor, yet he has had a tough time putting together two good halves.

* MATCHUP TO WATCH: Arizona forward Richard Jefferson vs. Michigan State guard Jason Richardson. Jefferson is a great defender who held Big Ten MVP Frank Williams to nine points on three-for-15 shooting in a regional final victory over Illinois. He will have his hands full with Richardson, who has explosive moves to the basket and is a spectacular dunker.

* INTANGIBLES: There’s no underestimating Michigan State’s experience. The defending national champions have been to the Final Four three consecutive seasons--something only nine schools have accomplished--and are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Duke in 1991 and ’92. Arizona players are seasoned too, but not as much as the Spartans.

* MAGIC NUMBERS: In four tournament games, Michigan State has had four leading scorers. Spartan Coach Tom Izzo is 16-0 when playing a lower-seeded team. His team was seeded first in the South Region; Arizona is second in the Midwest. The Wildcats have held each of their tournament opponents to less than 40% shooting from the field.

* FINAL ANALYSIS: For Arizona, a lot hinges on the play of center Loren Woods. If he can log a lot of minutes, maintain his intensity and be a shot-blocking presence in the paint, the Wildcats have a good chance. If Michigan State turns him to mush, it’s all over.

*

ARIZONA (27-7) vs.

MICHIGAN STATE (28-4)

2:30 p.m. PST, Ch. 2

STARTING LINEUPS

*--*

ARIZONA MICHIGAN STATE No Player Hgt Wgt Cl PO No Name Hgt Wgt Cl 44 Rich. Jefferson 6-7 222 Jr F 11 David Thomas 6-7 205 Sr 2 Michael Wright 6-7 238 Jr F 25 Aloy. Anagonye 6-8 255 So 3 Loren Woods 7-1 251 Sr C 34 Andre Hutson 6-8 240 Sr 22 Jason Gardner 5-10 178 So G 14 Charlie Bell 6-3 200 Sr 0 Gilbert Arenas 6-3 191 So G 23 Ja. Richardson 6-6 220 So

*--*

*

KEY RESERVES

*--*

ARIZONA MICHIGAN STATE No Player P Hgt Wgt Cl No Name P Hgt Wgt Cl 4 Luke Walton F 6-8 228 So 50 Zach Randolph C 6-9 270 Fr 33 Eug. Edgerson F 6-6 230 Sr 20 Mike Chappell F 6-9 215 Sr 30 Justin Wessel F 6-8 235 Sr 55 A. Ballinger F 6-9 245 So 23 Lamont Frazier G 6-3 182 Sr 1 Marcus Taylor G 6-3 190 Fr

*--*

TEAM COMPARISON

ALL GAMES

*--*

ARIZ MSU Points Per Game 81.6 77.9 Opponent Points Per Game 66.0 61.2 Margin 15.6 16.7 Field-Goal Pct. .479 .492 Opponent Field-Goal Pct. .394 .389 3-Point Shooting Pct. .358 .328 Opp. 3-Point Shooting Pct. .308 .325 3-Pt. Baskets Per Game 5.4 4.5 Opp. 3-Pt. Baskets Per Game 5.9 6.2 Free Throw Pct. .751 .720 Rebound Margin 7.0 15.7 Turnovers Per Game 15.6 13.6 Turnover Differential 0.9 0.3 Steals Per Game 7.8 6.5 Blocked Shots Per Game 4.3 4.1 Personal Fouls Per Game 17.6 18.5

*--*

LOGS

ARIZONA

*Chaminade W 97-57

*Dayton W 76-59

*Illinois W 79-76

**Purdue L 72-69

Gonzaga W 101-87

Saint Mary’s Ca W 101-41

at Connecticut L 71-69

***Illinois L 81-73

LSU W 88-75

Butler W 72-60

Mississippi St L 75-74

California W 78-75

Stanford L 85-76

at Washington St W 84-51

at Washington W 89-64

USC W 71-58

UCLA W 88-63

Arizona State W 86-75

Texas W 80-52

at Oregon L 79-67

at Oregon St W 68-41

Washington W 82-62

Washington St W 86-51

at UCLA L 79-77

at USC W 105-61

at Arizona State W 88-58

Oregon St W 65-54

Oregon W 104-65

at Stanford W 76-75

at California W 78-76

*

NCAA tournament

Eastern Illinois W 101-76

Butler W 73-52

Mississippi W 66-56

Illinois W 87-81

* Invitational in Maui.

** at Indianapolis. *** at Chicago.

*

MICHIGAN STATE

Oakland W 97-61

Cornell W 89-56

Eastern Washington W 83-61

North Carolina W 77-64

Illinois Chicago W 97-53

Florida W 99-83

at Loyola Chicago W 103-71

Kentucky W 46-45

Seton Hall W 72-57

at Bowling Green W 85-69

Wright St W 88-61

Penn St W 98-73

at Indiana L 59-58

Northwestern W 84-53

Wisconsin W 69-59

Ohio St W 71-56

at Northwestern W 74-58

at Ohio St L 64-44

at Michigan W 91-64

Purdue W 72-55

at Illinois L 77-66

at Minnesota W 94-83

Iowa W 94-70

Indiana W 66-57

at Penn St W 76-57

at Wisconsin W 51-47

Michigan W 78-57

*Penn St L 65-63

*

NCAA tournament

Alabama St W 69-35

Fresno St W 81-65

Gonzaga W 77-62

Temple W 69-62

* Big Ten tournament