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Kentucky’s showdown with the second-ranked Spartans is the first 1-2 matchup of Associated Press ranked teams since Feb. 23, 2008, when Memphis, then coached by John Calipari, and Tennessee met. The 2013 meeting between Kentucky and Michigan State will earn the recognition as the earliest meetings between the top-two ranked teams in the country in the history of the AP poll.

Gary Harris flourished, as expected, scoring 15 of his 20 points in the first half and finishing with a career-high 10 rebounds to help No. 2 Michigan State beat McNeese State 98-56 on Friday night in a tuneup for its next game against top-ranked Kentucky.

The Spartans, though, were pleasantly surprised by how well Branden Dawson and Travis Trice played in the season-opening rout.

Dawson scored 12 points, grabbed 12 rebounds – one shy of his career high – and had a career-high five assists.

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