– 6 7 . ▁For bes ▁tot aled ▁ 2 0 ▁points ▁while ▁Valent ine ▁had ▁ 2 5 . ▁Following ▁the ▁win ▁over ▁Louis ville ▁and ▁losses ▁by ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁Maryland ▁and ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁MS U ▁hosted ▁B ingham ton ▁with ▁a ▁chance ▁to ▁claim ▁the ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁ranking ▁in ▁both ▁pol ls . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁demol ished ▁B ingham ton ▁ 7 6 – 3 3 . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁held ▁B ingham ton ▁to ▁ 1 2 ▁points ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁and ▁started ▁the ▁game ▁with ▁an ▁impress ive ▁display ▁of ▁passing ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁d unk ▁by ▁Valent ine . ▁Valent ine ▁himself ▁out sc ored ▁B ingham ton ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁ 1 3 – 1 2 . ▁At ▁ 9 – 0 , ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁were ▁off ▁to ▁their ▁second ▁best ▁start ▁in ▁school ▁history ▁with ▁the ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁ranking ▁on ▁the ▁way . ▁When ▁the ▁pol ls ▁were ▁released ▁on ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁were ▁ranked ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁in ▁both ▁pol ls ▁for ▁only ▁the ▁fourth ▁time ▁in ▁school ▁history . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁newly ▁mint ed ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁team , ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁continued ▁their ▁impress ive ▁start ▁by ▁routing ▁Maryland – E astern ▁Sh ore , ▁ 7 8 – 3 5 ▁on ▁December ▁ 9 ▁in ▁East ▁L ans ing . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 2 , ▁Florida ▁tra ve