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Championship game checkpoints

GameCenter

SportsLine.com Staff
April 3, 2000

Coaches often talk in turns of turning the 40-minute battle into eight five-minute games. The team that wins the most segments generally wins the game. Here's a glance at the 2000 NCAA final, broken into five-minute "sub-championships." Michigan State went 4-3-1 in the segments, which translates into the national championship.

First half

Clock 5-minute score Game score
20:00-15:00 Michigan State 17-11 Michigan State 17-11
The Spartans repeatedly broke the Florida press, scoring four baskets in transition -- two of them by Mateen Cleaves. A.J. Granger's two jumpers (for five points) sparked MSU, too.
Clock 5-minute score Game score
15:59-10:00 Florida 6-4 Michigan State 21-17
Florida's Brett Nelson hit a couple of big 3-pointers to get the Gators' offense rolling again after a drought of nearly four minutes. Still, Michigan State controlled the action, largely with some key offensive rebounds.
Clock 5-minute score Game score
09:59-5:00 Michigan State 14-7 Michigan State 35-24
Michigan State gained firm control of a fast-paced game. Mateen Cleaves -- supposedly not much of a long-range shooter -- threw in a couple of big 3-pointers to help expand the lead to double digits. Florida's pressure defense failed to slow the Spartans … but the Gators turned it over three times in the five minutes.
Clock 5-minute score Game score
04:59-0:00 Tie, 8-8 Michigan State 43-32
MSU's Cleaves hit his third 3-pointer to give him 13 points by halftime -- one more than his game average for the season. Florida's Udonis Haslem also scored 13, but his teammates were collectively cold, hitting only 6 of 21 shots.

Halftime update

Michigan State surprised Florida with a productive bench, and an ability to deal with the Gators' zone. Florida's bench players outscored North Carolina 37-2, but at halftime against Michigan State, the Gators had outscored the Spartans bench by only 11-8 (with MSU even getting a jump shot from Adam Ballinger, who didn't even play in the semifinals).

Florida's press simply didn't work well, forcing only one turnover (MSU had three more in the half-court set). Florida, meantime, had turned it over eight times and looked disjointed offensively much of the half (40.7-percent shooting).

And with Cleaves playing the role of scorer in addition to team leader, the Spartans looked very strong at the half. MSU made 53 percent of its first-half shots.

MSU captured two of the four five-minute segments, by a combined 13 points. Florida won its one segment by a basket. The other was a push.

Second half

Clock 5-minute score Game score
20:00-15:00 Florida 12-10 Michigan State 53-44
With 16:18 remaining, Michigan State's heart went into its throat, when Cleaves went down hard with a sprained ankle, shortly after scoring his 18th point. He limped off the court and into the locker room to get retaped. And with Peterson riding the bench with three fouls, the Spartans' depth became huge … while Florida's Haslem and Brent Wright were combining to score effectively inside for Florida.
Clock 5-minute score Game score
15:59-10:00 Michigan State 7-6 Michigan State 60-50
Cleaves returned to the game to a standing ovation in the RCA Dome with 11:51 remaining. In his 4:27 absence, the Spartans actually boosted their lead from six to eight points (58-50). Florida's Haslem (17 points) and Wright (11) continued to keep the Gators within striking distance, but MSU reserve Mike Chappell fired in five quick points to help keep them at bay.
Clock 5-minute score Game score
09:59-5:00 Michigan State 22-14 Michigan State 82-64
This was the decisive five-minute segment, as Morris Peterson showed why he was the Big Ten's co-player of the year. "Mo Pete" hit a remarkable 12 points just in this five-minute segment, as the Spartans extended their lead to 20. Cleaves limped around the floor, but A.J. Granger and Charlie Bell hit some big shots, to make up for his limitations.
Clock 5-minute score Game score
04:59-0:00 Florida 12-7 Michigan State 89-76
The last five minutes went just the way Michigan State coach Tom Izzo would have drawn up: A chance to run out the clock, and enable his senior stars Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson to leave the floor to standing ovations.

Game summary