DETROIT (AP) -- Michigan State's impressive run through the 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament ended one game short of a national title. The Spartans fell to the North Carolina Tar Heels, 89-72, in the championship game.
Tyler Hansbrough scored 18 points, Wayne Ellington had 19 and Ty Lawson led all scorers with 21 and also had a record eight steals -- and now they and Danny Green can all head to the NBA feeling good about their decision to return to school to bring Carolina's fifth championship back home.
All those upperclassmen, save Hansbrough, came back in part because their draft prospects didn't look so good. They also didn't want their college careers to end on last year's embarrassing loss to Kansas in the Final Four.
Michigan State (31-7) couldn't get any momentum. From the start, it was clear there was no way Carolina was losing control of this one.
The Tar Heels (34-4) were up 55-34 at halftime, breaking a 42-year-old title-game record for biggest lead at the break and setting the mark for most points at the half.
This collection of NBA talent was too, too much from wire to wire, from the start of the tournament, to the very end.
Carolina won every game by double digits, something that hasn't happened since Duke did it in 2001.
Lots of basketball fans saw this coming, including America's No. 1 Hoopster-in-Chief.
Yes, President Barack Obama picked the Tar Heels to take it all in his much-publicized bracket.
Magic Johnson, Michigan State's Spartan-in-Chief, joined Larry Bird at center court to present the game ball, a tribute to the 30-year anniversary of their historic matchup and Michigan State's first title.
From there, it was pretty much all "Showtime," all the time -- but not for Michigan State.
Spartans coach Tom Izzo tried to call a timeout to stop the onslaught with 6:45 left in the first half. His team came out and promptly turned it over -- one of 14 in the first half, compared to only 12 baskets.
Goran Suton led the Spartans with 17 points, and Kalin Lucas, the Big Ten player of the year, had 14. Michigan State pulled within 13 a couple times late in the second half, and the crowd of 72,922 -- mostly pulling for the Spartans -- tried to make some noise.
Ellington had a double-pump scoop layup and a 3-pointer and Hansbrough spotted up and sank a 14-foot jumper -- all in the first 4:25 to put Carolina ahead 17-7. It never got closer.