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. Mark Langston Mariners Jersey . William Carrier opened the scoring for Cape Breton (6-4-2), but Andrew Ryan tied the game and Brent Andrews put the Mooseheads (8-6-0) in front for good with a short-handed goal at 13:49 of the second period. Matt Magill Jersey . The formidable trio of Canadian receivers -- individually known as Chris Getzlaf, Rob Bagg and Andy Fantuz -- will share the field at Mosaic Stadium one more time on Sunday. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2185k-dee-gordon-jersey-mariners.html . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Richie Zisk Jersey . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Jamie Moyer Jersey . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne. PHOENIX -- Patrick Corbin remains winless at home this season.The Arizona left-hander gave up a two-run home run in the first inning to Josh Donaldson, and the Diamondbacks never recovered in a 10-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday.Corbin (4-9) was tagged for six runs, five earned, on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings to fall to 0-7 at home.Ive looked at video a bunch and havent seen anything mechanically, he said. Just the results arent there. Im trying to get better and working on things in between starts. Hopefully can figure something out.Arizona manager Chip Hale wasnt all that critical.Early, he was not getting ahead in the count and obviously got hurt, he said. Left the ball out over the plate to Donaldson and he hit it out. Second, third, fourth innings, really got ahead in the count, threw a lot of first-pitch strikes and controlled the zone. I thought he really pitched well.Edwin Encarnacion also hit a two-run homer and Marcus Stroman went eight strong innings for the Blue Jays.Donaldsons homer landed in the Chase Field swimming pool. Encarnacions soaring shot off Daniel Hudson, projected at 471 feet by Statcast, landed far down the walkway beyond the left field seats in the eighth.That was the loudest ball Ive ever witnessed live in a stadium, by far, Stroman said. I was under (in the clubhouse) and I ran out and saw where it landed. It was pretty special. Hes the man.It was Encarnacions 26th home run of the season and ninth in his last eight games at Chase.I havent seen many like that, manager John Gibbons said. He rakes it in this place.Stroman (8-4) allowed a run and eight hits to help the Blue Jays sweep the two-game series. He bounced back from a rough outing in Oakland.I didnt commaand the ball as good in Oakland, he said.dddddddddddd. Spinning pitches were left kind of more middle. I just had more action on my pitches today.Darwin Barney tripled in two runs and brought another home with a sacrifice fly for Toronto. Devon Travis had three hits, two of them doubles.Tuffy Gosewisch hit a three-run homer in the ninth for Arizona.Donaldson ended Corbins day with two outs in the sixth with a shot that hit just below the home run line in the porch in left-center field.Arizona got its run in the first when Jean Segura scored on right fielder Junior Lakes errant throw to third.BARNEY IN LEFTBarney, an infielder by trade, made his first career start in left field and made two nice catches, one up against the wall.Hes a great athlete, Gibbons said. He catches fly balls all the time. Why cant he catch them out there, too?Barney was inserted in the lineup after Michael Saunders left the team for personal reasons.Gibbons said Saunders is expected back for Fridays game in Toronto against Seattle.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (left oblique strain) said he threw hard for the first time while playing catch from 120 to 150 feet on Tuesday. Hale said Greinke could have bullpen workout in the next few days. C Welington Castillo, struck in the hand by a pitch on Monday night, was fine, Hale said. He was out of the lineup Wednesday but was available.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: Arizona takes Thursday off before embarking on a 10-game road trip. The Diamondbacks send RHP Archie Bradley (3-5, 4.37 ERA) to the mound in Cincinnati against Reds RHP Dan Straily (4-6, 4.07). ' ' '
