State's success is a headache for Ellerbe By Chris Duprey Daily Sports Editor EAST LANSING - Damned if they did, damned if they didn't. There are two ways to look at Michigan State's 91-66 disposal of Illinois yesterday. Most would say it's bad news for Michigan, which squares off against the Spartans tomorrow night at Crisler Arena, because Michigan State is hot at just the wrong time. Or, it's good news for the Wolverines, since the State train will roll into Ann Arbor unassuming and confident, perhaps ignoring the possibility of a letdown. Had the Spartans lost, they would most likely be an irritated bunch, and the prospect of catching them by surprise would be almost impossible. Yesterday's end result will be debated both ways, but the videotape will confirm two of Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe's defensive concerns about the Spartans - they shoot very well from the outside (10-for-22 from 3-point land against the Illini yesterday), and they possess multiple weapons and the role players necessary to complement them (four of Michigan State's starters scored in double figures, in addition to 25 points from the bench). "I think we're getting a little bit more in sync, slowly but surely," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I thought we played awfully well, and yet I still think Illinois is a very good team." Still, Michigan holds one key card heading into tomorrow's matchup. For all the complaining Ellerbe did about his early Big Ten road schedule - opening up with four of the first six conference games on the road, including the first two away from home - it's coming back to help him now. The Wolverines will have had a full week to recover from their Indiana learning experience by the time tipoff rolls around. Michigan State, meanwhile, will be finishing a rough stretch of three games in six days, albeit that two of those games were against Big Ten urinal Northwestern. "Last year, we had five games in 11 days. If we get beat (tomorrow), that won't be the reason," Izzo said. "If you have fatigue when you're playing Michigan, you shouldn't be wearing the uniform. We'll be ready to play." En Guard: As if the Wolverines didn't have enough of a challenge ahead, they have to deal with a Michigan State guard tandem that's just come off of possibly its best game of the season. Mateen Cleaves and Charlie Bell combined for 33 points, but it was their 14 total assists (12 by Cleaves) that opened up the interior game for teammates Andre Hutson and Morris Peterson. The result was quite a few easy layups and a corresponding opening of the perimeter. "Mateen looked the best that he's looked since he's been back," said Bell, modestly overshadowing his own 20-point afternoon. "It's just a matter of getting games under his belt." Defensively, that's trouble for Michigan, which currently stands last in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 78.6 points per game. Bell said the Spartans will attack Michigan's young guards early, and continue to test them all evening. "When you're playing against young guys, you want to go out there and get physical with them, let them know that we're the defending Big Ten champs," Bell said. "People did the same thing to me when I was a freshman. When you're a freshman anywhere, you're going to get treated like a freshman." AP PHOTO Forward Al Anagoyne (right) and Michigan State had a ball, yesterday, against Illinois. The Spartans blew out the Illini, 91-66. Originally on page 5B in the 1-31-2000 issue of the Daily.