Center drops 32 on weak IU inside defense

With 3:22 left in the second half Saturday, the Michigan State students in the "Izzone" started to chat, "You can't stop him." \nThey were talking about MSU sophomore Paul Davis, and they were right.\nThe 6-foot-10 center dominated the paint and scored a career-high 32 points to lead the Spartans past the Hoosiers, 84-72, at the Breslin Center. His previous career high was 24 points early this season against Kentucky.\n"Paul Davis is, well, it speaks for itself, 32 points," IU coach Mike Davis said. "We have nobody that can guard him. No doubt when he's playing basketball like that, it's difficult to beat them."\nPaul Davis got off to a fast start, scoring 10 of Michigan State's first 12 points and tallying 15 by halftime. The Spartans (10-8, 5-2 Big Ten) went back to their workhorse to start the second half, as he scored 10 of the Spartans first 17 points as they built an eight-point lead.\n"Paul did a great job of posting," MSU coach Tom Izzo said. "I think he wanted the ball, and he promised he wouldn't shoot any more fades, and he didn't. And it made a big difference. (He) gets to the free-throw line more, gets more opportunities. When that happens, he's just more active. He did a great job of getting open."\nIU (11-7, 5-2) had no answer for Davis. He made them pay even when they put him on the free-throw line. Davis shot 10 of 12 from the stripe and 11 of 16 from the field.\n"It wasn't just me," Davis said. "My teammates were getting the ball inside, and because of them being able to hit shots, it opened up the inside for me. Especially with (IU senior center George) Leach. He's such a great shot blocker you gotta go at him. You can't give him room, or that's where he's going to get you."\nIU's four inside players -- Leach, senior A.J. Moye, sophomore Sean Kline and freshman Pat Ewing Jr. -- combined to score only 23 points. Leach said he didn't do what the IU coaching staff told him to do.\n"Tonight I didn't even show up to play hard," Leach said. "I didn't do anything tonight. I didn't do what I was supposed to do."\nDavis not only scored in the post, but he was able to knock down some jump shots to force the IU players to guard him further out. \nMike Davis said it didn't matter where Davis shot the ball from, it looked good from where he was sitting.\n"No one can guard him," (Mike) Davis said. "He's good … I've said before he's the best big man in the Big Ten. Hopefully he can stay in school until he's a senior because we need really good players to stay for us to be a great league. This kid needs to stay here for four years. He was great tonight."\n-- Contact staff writer Tyler V. Hoeppner at thoeppne@indiana.edu.