Another major opportunity for Michigan State presented itself on Thursday evening as the Spartans faced a third ranked opponent on the season at the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
Michigan State battled back-and-forth with the Tar Heels in the first half, even falling behind by seven, but it responded with a quick 13-0 run to take control of the game, and the Spartans never looked back. They would go on to build a big lead in the final minutes, dominating after North Carolina cut it to three at 55-52. From that point on, Michigan State went on a 19-6 run.