Montrezl Harrell

Louisville's Montrezl Harrell (24) drives past North Carolina State's Ralston Turner (22) and Abdul-Malik Abu (0) during the first half of a regional semifinal in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2015, in Syracuse, N.Y.

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Louisville junior forward Montrezl Harrell takes pride in playing the most minutes of any Cardinals player and not taking any plays off.

It's an area he's not sure his counterpart in Sunday's Elite Eight game, Michigan State's Branden Dawson, can match him in.

"I go in and make sure I play 110 percent every play," Harrell said Saturday. "If (Dawson) has as much energy as me, it should be a good game tomorrow. I don't see him running with as much energy as I have."

Harrell comes into Sunday's game (2:20 p.m, CBS) averaging 15.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. He also plays a team-high 34.9 minutes per game. In his team's Sweet 16 win over North Carolina State on Friday, Harrell had 24 points and seven rebounds.

"He's a good player, he's a bona fide scorer," Dawson said of Harrell. "He plays with high energy on both ends. We're going to have to do a good job on him."

Energy level has been a frequent topic of conversation with Dawson throughout his four years in East Lansing, with Izzo often questioning his "motor."

Those questions have largely subsided this year, though, as Dawson comes into Sunday's game averaging 11.9 points and 9.1 rebounds.

Harrell was also complimentary of Dawson's game, particularly his rebounding prowess.

"He's a motivational rebounder, and what I mean by that is he goes to the glass every chance he gets, both offensively and defensively," Harrell said. "We've got to make sure that we come off the glass, I'm going to make sure that I'm going to take a big part of doing that myself.

At 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, he has two inches and 15 pounds on the smaller Dawson. The Spartans senior said playing without fouling will be important.

"We're going to have to stay solid, we can't get in foul trouble, and we definitely have to rebound the ball," Dawson said. "I think if we play solid and don't get rattled, we'll be fine."

2015 NCAA tournament: Sweet 16 - Second Take 20 Gallery: 2015 NCAA tournament: Sweet 16 - Second Take

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