article_snippet.sent: The Spartans, of the Big Ten, began the game in a higher gear than Duke, and quickly took an eight-point lead.
article_snippet.sent: Duke occasionally used a 2-3 zone defense that protected some of its players with foul concerns and slowed the Spartans down.
article_snippet.sent: But it was when Duke played man-to-man that the Spartans really had a hard time scoring.
article_snippet.sent: Duke led at halftime 36-25, a turnaround of 19 points from its early deficit.
article_snippet.sent: The confidence gained in getting defensive stops led to the desire for Duke players to drive the lane instead of shooting three-pointers.
article_snippet.sent: In the second half, Duke increased its lead to 20 points, then cruised home.
article_snippet.sent: Duke played awfully well, but I thought it wasn't one of We better games," Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said.