EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The next measuring stick for top-ranked Michigan State is No. 16 North Carolina on Wednesday as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. "Were going to have to play a lot better this week," Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo said after his team routed Mount St. Marys 98-65 Friday. "What a privilege and an honour to be able to play two of the most winningest programs in the history of the NCAA in Kentucky and North Carolina in a seven-, eight-game stretch." The Spartans (7-0) expect an equally tough challenge as they faced against then-No. 1 Kentucky which resulted in a 78-74 Spartans victory. "Theyre (the Tar Heels) a pretty good team," said Keith Appling who led the Spartans with 17 points off the bench. "Were going to be ready. Were going to need to do all the little things in order to come out with a win. We know how good they are." The Spartans wrapped up another successful early part of the season -- the last time they lost at home in November was to a David Robinson-led Navy team on Nov. 29, 1986. With Fridays victory, Michigan State has won 74 straight games against unranked non-conference opponents at home. Michigan State -- which is off to its best start since opening the 2000-01 season with a 12-0 mark -- did not start Appling, Adreian Payne and Branden Dawson due to showing up late to a required class. "Ive got a lot of jobs in this job, and one of them is to graduate guys and one is to stay accountable," Izzo said. "It was a minor little thing but it was over a class that they needed to be at. They were told that and they decided to try their way, and their way didnt work." It was the first time Appling missed a start at Michigan State since his freshman year. "It was really a wake-up call, lesson learned," Appling said. "I was just glad that we were able to come out and play the way we did the second half and come out with the win." The Spartans also did not play leading-scorer Gary Harris to rest his ankle that has bothered him since injuring it during the summer. Harris, who averaged 17.7 points, sat on the bench in his warm-ups and is expected to play against North Carolina. The Mountaineers were able to lead twice by one point and kept it close before Michigan States three usual starters entered the game with 14:12 left in the opening half. The Spartans then went on a 33-19 run to take a 50-38 halftime lead -- the most points Michigan State had allowed in the first 20 minutes this season. "Michigan State, obviously the No. 1 team in the country, definitely played like it today," said Mountaineers coach Jamion Christian. "Quite honestly, watching them from afar for a lot of years you can see why theyre so talented and so good every year." Michigan State turned up its defence and began running at will in the second half en route to leading by as much as 33 points. The Spartans finished the game hitting 63.1 per cent of its field goals while Mount St. Marys was limited to 32.8 per cent shooting, including only 9 of 32 in the second half. Will Miller scored 15 points for the Mountaineers (2-6) who were facing the No. 1 team for only the second time in school history. Mount St. Marys lost to top-ranked North Carolina in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Spartans held the Mountaineers two leading scorers, Julian Norfleet and Rashad Whack, to 13 and 10 points. The two came into the game combining for 33.7 points. The loss dropped the Mountaineers to 1-21 all-time against ranked opponents. Their win came in December 1995 against then No. 21 Georgia Tech. Adrian Wilson Jersey . It was a loss. But it was also a learning experience. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson had 24 points each to lift Brooklyn to a 94-87 win over the Raptors, making their first playoff appearance since 08. "I thought we played a little bit as expected as it is our first playoff game," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. Larry Fitzgerald Jersey . Horford is out 3-to-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle for the Hawks, who have won two straight and five of six games. Atlanta improved to 2-0 on the residency with Saturdays 93-91 triumph over Minnesota, as Ivan Johnson scored his teams final four points, including the game-winning free throw with 4. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/Customized/. The NFL announced Friday that the Texans sixth-year veteran offensive lineman will replace Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jason Peters in the Jan. Kurt Warner Jersey .com) - The Minnesota Twins made it official on Wednesday, announcing the signing of outfielder Torii Hunter to a one-year contract. Pat Tillman Jersey . - David Tomasek had two goals in regulation time and was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Belleville Bulls upset the Oshawa Generals 6-5 on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action.The NHLs Mar. 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Check out todays trade-related reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates. Kings Ransom With the Los Angeles Kings fighting for a Western Conference playoff berth and just three points up on the wild card zone, is it time for general manager Dean Lombardi to pull the trigger on a deal? The Hockey News looks back at one of Lombardis shrewdest moves - sending Jack Johnson and a first rounder to the Blue Jackets in exchange for Jeff Carter in 2012 – and wonders if the same type of shake-up is available this season. Former Kings Matt Moulson and Mike Cammalleri would work - THN muses - but even a cheaper option like Brad Boyes could also do the trick. Not Going Wild The Minnesota Wild turned heads at the 2013 trade deadline by letting go of prime assets like Johan Larsson, Matt Hackett and a pair of high draft picks for then-Sabres captain Jason Pominville. So, naturally, surrendering all those future assets would naturally take them out of the running to add a major piece this year, right? Not necesssarily so, says Wild GM Chuck Fletcher.dddddddddddd He told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that he intends to be more cautious this deadline, but that he wont say no to the right deal. "In a perfect world, I dont want to trade first-round picks in consecutive years," Fletcher told the Star-Trib. "If opportunities come up, sometimes you have to do things, and this first round isnt as deep and our scouts always seem to deliver no matter what picks I leave them with. But it would have to be something pretty special. Id like our guys to have a first-rounder this year." Blue Line Bolts Thanks to injuries on the blue line including Mattias Ohlund and Brian Lee, the Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves with a defence budget to work with ahead of the deadline. With about $3 million in available cap space, the Tampa Bay Times envisions the Bolts looking for a blue line stalwart to help the likes of Victor Hedman and Mark Barberio. The Islanders Andrew MacDonald and Detroits Kyle Quincey headline the Times wishlist. MacDonald averages the seventh-highest ice-time in the league while Quincey - a more expensive rental option would be a more stay-at-home pick-up. 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