The campaign started with a stunning 22-point defeat at Hawaii. That was followed with a win vs. Division II Chaminade and a devastating triple-overtime loss to Gonzaga.

The next day, showing no signs of fatigue, Michigan State defeated then No. 9 ranked Arizona, 74-71, in overtime. On Dec. 10, MSU rattled off its sixth consecutive win, thrashing a strong Wichita State team with ease. Four days earlier, the victim was No. 6 ranked Boston College at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic.

"We're making some progress," MSU coach Tom Izzo said after the Wichita State win. "To survive (the early-season schedule) and be 7-2, this is a giant step."

The schedule really lightens up with five mid-major conference teams filling out the remainder of December's slate. MSU should be 12-2 entering the Big Ten opener at Illinois on Jan. 5.

--Michigan State is easily pacing the Big Ten in free-throw percentage at .801. Second-place Michigan is some 54 percentage points behind. Among players that have taken at least double-digit attempts from the charity stripe, only G Maurice Ager is below 80 percent. He's at .750 (36-of-48).

--The Spartans are one of three Big Ten teams scoring more than 80 points a contest. Indiana and Wisconsin are the others. The last Michigan State team to finish the season above 80 was in 1985-86 (83.1.) Through nine games, Tom Izzo's boys were at 81.7.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I really didn't expect this. We expected a close game. I felt going into the game that Illinois was a better offensive team but I don't feel that way now." -- Wichita State coach Mark Turgeon after losing to Michigan State, 83-64, on Dec. 10. The Shockers (7-2) only other loss came to Illinois on a last-second shot.

GAME REVIEW:

Michigan State 77, Boston College 70

Michigan State 83, Wichita State 64

GAME PREVIEW

vs. Cleveland State, Friday, Dec. 16.

vs. Florida International, Sunday, Dec. 18.

at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wednesday, Dec. 21.

KEYS: The Spartans are playing as well as any team in the country right now and even if they weren't a sweep of these upcoming games wouldn't be a tough task. Staying focused and playing with the same intensity against Cleveland State and Florida International as the likes of Boston College is the main objective.

ROSTER REPORT:

--C Paul Davis, a 6-11, 270-pound senior, is averaging 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds through nine games. He's also taking advantage of his conditioning by dominating second halves. Over a three-game stretch, against Georgia Tech, Arkansas-Little Rock and Boston College, Davis averaged 16.7 points over the final 20 minutes of play.

--G Maurice Ager, a 6-5 senior, was leading the team with 21.7 points per game through Dec. 15. In the 106 years of Michigan State basketball, two players have never averaged 20 or more points in the same season. Davis and Ager seem to have a real chance at eliminating that fact from the books.