We're Talkin' About Practice . . .
The Detroit Pistons' Rasheed Wallace was, in his own way, celebrating a North Carolina victory over Michigan State.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.--We're talkin' about practice, but not the way you might think.
We're talkin' about the Detroit Pistons' Rasheed Wallace, who spent two seasons at North Carolina after a terrific career at Simon Gratz High, celebrating the Tar Heels' 98-63 victory over Michigan State Wednesday night in front of an estimated 20,000 fans (including Wallace) at Ford Field.
Wallace went through the Pistons' practice today wearing powder blue sneakers, a clear salute to his school.
''We had to come all the way up from Chapel Hill for that practice,'' Wallace said impishly. ''We could've stayed in Chapel Hill and practiced.''
The 35-point loss was the second-worst in Tom Izzo's 13 years coaching Michigan State. The worst was an 83-47 loss to Iowa in Iowa City Feb. 21, 1996.
The Spartans were burned for 25 points by Tylyer Hansbrough, the defending National Player Of The Year. Episcopal Academy's Wayne Ellington added 17. Hansbrough and Ellington combined for 28 of those points in the first half.