North Carolina tarred and feathered Spartans back in December

Monday’s national championship game is a rematch between UNC and Michigan State, a regular-season game the Spartans would like to forget. “We lost by 100, I think,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said. No, just 35. Michigan State had some injury issues. Also, the Spartans were playing their fourth game in seven days. “We have a couple of excuses, but not 35 points worth,” Izzo said. The game was played on Dec. 3 in Ford Field as a game-day dress rehearsal for the Final Four, but the home team was the uncomfortable one. (Kansas City Star)