NEW YORK -- One of the Kentucky freshmen stepped up big from the outside while the rest of the Wildcats took care of things with defense.Malik Monks 23 points on 7-for-11 shooting from 3-point range and the second-ranked Wildcats defense that held No. 13 Michigan State to 32.8 percent shooting combined for a 69-48 victory Tuesday night in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.These guys took some pride defensively here, Kentucky coach John Calipari said. Michigan State they run great stuff. They iso and do things that forced us to prepare beyond where we are.The Wildcats (3-0) averaged 90 points in their first two games but this time it was defense that did it as the Spartans (0-2) shot 32.8 percent from the field (20 of 61) including 5 for 26 (19.2 percent) from beyond the arc.Relying on another talented freshman class, Kentucky was able to up the tempo enough and keep the tenacious defense going that the Spartans committed 20 turnovers which the Wildcats turned into 24 points.Freshman DeAaron Fox added 12 points for Kentucky, which snapped Michigan States two-game winning streak in the series that the Wildcats lead 13-11.We knew they were going pack it in. I just had to be prepared, Monk said. They set me up well. I was just able to knock down the shot.Kenny Goins and Cassius Winston led the Spartans with nine points each. Freshman Miles Bridges was held to six points on 2-for-11 shooting but he grabbed 12 rebounds.We did a couple of things knowing that if he got going he would be a beast, Calipari said of Bridges. He had 12 rebounds, but the way we played, we just made it really difficult for him to just play basketball.Spartans coach Tom Izzo said, Im actually a little embarrassed. I felt like we competed defensively for the most part, we just didnt do anything offensively. We looked like a team that was an AAU team, we just went 1-on-1 didnt move the ball and got frustrated.The Spartans were coming off a 68-65 loss to No. 10 Arizona in Honolulu.I was very disappointed in the way we were kind of `deer in the headlights but you know you have four freshmen playing at Madison Square Garden and coming off the Hawaii trip, that was the way we played. Well get better.Kentucky led 34-26 at halftime and the Wildcats opened the big lead with a 16-7 run that made it 51-37 with 12:04 to play. Michigan State continued to struggle from the outside and the Wildcats led by as many as 23 points.Its the same freshmen that played against Canisius and we were down with three minutes in the half, Calipari said. Weve got a long way to go. This shows us what were capable of and now we have to build from this. You have to convince them that if we become a great defensive team.BIG PICTURE:Kentucky: The Wildcats freshman class is as loaded with talent as any recruited by Calipari and this group has size. ... Last season the Wildcats had trouble setting any kind of presence inside but with freshmen Ban Adebayo and Wenyen Gilbert grabbing 11 rebounds between them. Kentucky was able to stay on the glass with the Spartans only being outrebounded 44-40.Michigan State: The Spartans played in Honolulu on Friday and then headed across the country for this game. Michigan State will travel 13,600 miles by Nov. 29 and in a 21-day span they will face at least three Top 15 opponents. ... Michigan State wont be at full strength for a while as they wait for Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter to return from injuries.ALL ALONE:Monk was the only Wildcat to make a 3-pointer. The rest of the team was 0 for 7. Nobody on Michigan State made more than one 3.You have to give Monk credit he was 3 for 13 going in and hit some big 3s early, unguarded on the break, Izzo said.FOUL SHOOTING:Kentucky was 16 of 20 at the free throw line while the Spartans were 3 of 9.SITTING PRETTY:In the row behind the Kentucky bench were Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Brown who was Calipari boss at Kansas and Bruiser Flint, the coach who succeeded Calipari at Massachusetts. Also sitting in a good seat was New York Knicks guard Carmelo Anthony. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski went over and gave Anthony a big hug before the second game. The two were part of the last Olympic gold medals for the U.S.UP NEXT:Kentucky: The Wildcats return to Rupp Arena to face Duquesne on Sunday.Michigan State: The Spartans finally stop traveling to go home and play Mississippi Valley State on Friday. Ron Francis Jersey . A lawyer for MLB, Matthew Menchel, confirmed Wednesday the league dropped its case against Biogenesis of America, its owner Anthony Bosch and several other individuals. The lawsuit had accused Biogenesis and Bosch of conspiring with players to violate their contracts by providing them with banned performance-enhancing substances. Rod Brind Amour Jersey . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. http://www.wholesalehurricanesjerseys.com/ . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Cam Ward Jersey . Blackwood, 28, has played the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres system, including the past two summers with Class AA San Antonio of the Texas League. Jordan Staal Jersey . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. (STATS) -- Oh sure, there will be a lot of red on Saturday in the FCS national semifinal between Youngstown State and Eastern Washington.The red turf of Roos Field.The school colors of both teams.Any bare skin.The forecast for Cheney, Washington, is calling for a high under 5 degrees, so it may not be a day for the offenses -- Eastern Washingtons excellence notwithstanding.If it is a factor, its a factor, but who is going to handle it better? Eagles coach Beau Baldwin said. It will never be something where Ill come back and say the weather cost us a game. Ill say they handled the weather better than us. We need to decide who is going to handle it better and not make it a factor.The previous low game-time temperature for an EWU home game was 12 when South Dakota State visited in the 2013 second round.---=FCS Playoffs SemifinalThe Matchup -- Youngstown State (11-3) at No. 2 seed Eastern Washington (12-1)Kickoff -- 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday at Roos Field (8,600) in Cheney, WashingtonCoverage -- ESPNUSeries -- Youngstown State leads 1-0 (YSU won 25-14 on road in 1997 FCS semifinals)Coaches -- Youngstown State: Bo Pelini (16-9, two seasons; 83-36 overall); Eastern Washington: Beau Baldwin (85-31, nine seasons; 95-34 overall)Players to Watch -- Youngstown State: QB Hunter Wells (91 of 145, 1,199 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INTs), RB/KR Jody Webb (191 carries, 1,200 yards, 6 TDs; 25 receptions, 303 yards), DE Derek Rivers (48 TT, 15.5 TFL, 12 sacks, 18 QB hurries), LB Armand Dellovade (95 TT, 10.5 TFL, 5 QB hurries), S LeRoy Alexander (67 TT, 4.5 TFL, 4 INTs, 5 PBU); Eastern Washington: QB Gage Gubrud (368 of 537, 4,807 yards, 45 TDs, 12 INTs; 125 carries, 558 yards, 5 TDs), WR/PR Cooper Kupp (107 receptions, 1,520 yards, 15 TDs), WR Shaq Hill (75 receptions, 1,112 yards, 16 TDs), DE Samson Ebukam (68 TT, 13.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks, 6 QB hurries), LB Miquiyah Zamora (92 TT, 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks)What to Know -- The only previous meeting between these two FCS powers wasnt played at Roos Field (formerly Woodward Field) in the 1997 semifinals, it was held at Albi Stadium in nearby Spokane, and Youngstown State won the matchup on the way to capturing its fourth national title of the 1990s. The visitors from the Missouri Valley Football Conference are appearing in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the 2006 semifinals. The Penguins are having a tumultuous week as its been reported four or five unnamed players, including three regulars, have been suspended for the semifinal after testing positive for banned substances following the second-round win over Jacksonville State on Dec. 3. News of an arrest last week of second-leading rusher Martin Ruiz on a gun charge also emerged in Youngstown. The Penguins had to survive a mistake-filled, 30-23 win over Wofford in double overtimme in the quarterfinals.dddddddddddd Still, second-year coach Bo Pelinis squad has been the strongest unseeded team. Averaging 257.1 rushing yards per game, their game plan will be to run the ball with Webb and perhaps Tevin McCaster. Wells has been a steady decision maker at quarterback since replacing Ricky Davis as the starter on Oct. 29. His offense averages 27.1 points per game. The defense might be the best that Eastern Washington has faced this season, allowing just 18.1 points per game (seventh-best in the FCS). Rivers and Avery Moss (10 sacks) are a pair of All-MVFC defensive ends who have fueled YSU to an FCS-high 44 sacks. They will try to flush Gubrud from the pocket, so a secondary featuring Alexander and Jameel Smith will have to hold tight against the Eagles excellent wide receivers corps. The kicking game had been strong until Zak Kennedy missed three of his four field goal attempts and an extra point in the quarterfinal. Eastern Washington is the more explosive team as the Big Sky Conference co-champion averages 533.5 yards -- second-most in the FCS -- and 42.7 points -- third-most. Gubrud leads the FCS in passing yards and total yards (5,365) and is nearing school and conference records in both categories. The Eagles have had one of their better seasons despite replacing six seniors from last years offensive line. It helps to have the best wide receivers corps in the FCS, and Kupp, Hill and Kendrick Bourne (1,082) are all over 1,000 receiving yards. Kupp, who has 30 100-yard receiving games in his career, ranks first in Division I history in receptions (418), receiving yards (6,284) and touchdown receptions (71). Their maligned defense of recent years has matured into a solid unit over the second half of the season. The Eagles, whose program won the 2010 FCS title under ninth-year coach Beau Baldwin, posted their first shutout since 2009 when they beat Richmond 38-0 in the quarterfinals. Ebukam had a career day in the win and provides the senior leadership with Zamora (349 career tackles) and S Zach Bruce, who leads the team with 102 tackles. Kupps sophomore brother Ketner has stepped up his play at linebacker with 18 tackles in the playoffs while replacing an injured Alek Kacmarcik (lower leg). Both teams have excellent weapons in the return game.Up Next -- The winner will play either No. 4 seed James Madison (12-1) or No. 1 seed North Dakota State (12-1) in the FCS championship game Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.Prediction -- Eastern Washington hasnt scored less than 31 points and Youngstown State hasnt allowed more than 24 to an FCS opponent. Something will give on the red turf. Eastern Washington 28-19. Discount NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys 2019 NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '