DETROIT — North Carolina coach Roy Williams walked out of a news conference smiling after an impressive performance at the site of the 2009 Final Four.

"See you in April," someone said.

"I'll be back and I hope my team is with me," Williams replied.

The way the top-ranked Tar Heels played last night in a 98-63 rout of No. 13 Michigan State, they seem destined for a return trip to Ford Field.

Tyler Hansbrough scored the first basket of both halves and finished with 25 points and 11 rebounds, Wayne Ellington scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half and Ty Lawson had 17 points, eight assists and seven steals.

The Tar Heels (8-0) won their first seven games by an average of 30 points and surpassed that clip. They took control with an 11-3 run late in the first half, led by 14 at halftime, then built a 30-plus cushion before coasting.

The Spartans (4-2) started the season ranked sixth, but lost a lot of luster with an 18-point loss to Maryland last week and looked helpless in their fourth game in a week.

"The blame goes on me for the scheduling," coach Tom Izzo said. "We were dead.

"You didn't see our real team tonight, but our real team might have lost by 20," Izzo added. "They're definitely one of the best teams I've seen in my 25 years at Michigan State."

Michigan State's Raymar Morgan and Chris Allen looked like they belonged on the same court with the Tar Heels, scoring 21 and 16 points respectively, but the rest of their teammates appeared overmatched.

No. 3 Pittsburgh 78, Duquesne 51: Sam Young scored 23 points and DeJuan Blair added 14 points, 17 rebounds and a short jumper that put the host Panthers (9-0) ahead for good at 22-20, starting a 9-0 run in a victory over the Dukes (4-2).

No. 10 Tennessee 87, UNC-Asheville 69: Tyler Smith had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the first triple-double in school history, helping the host Volunteers (6-1) rout the Bulldogs (3-4) to give coach Bruce Pearl his 400th career victory.

WAC

Kansas 100, New Mexico State 79: Tyshawn Taylor scored a career-best 23 points and Sherron Collins added 15 points and 11 assists as the host Jayhawks (6-1) beat the Aggies (2-3) for their 29th straight home win over two seasons.

Kansas shot 54 percent and had a 46-20 rebounding advantage, finally pulling away with an 11-2 run that Tyrel Reed capped with consecutive 3-pointers that made it 69-53.

Boise State 86, Wyoming 85: Mark Sanchez had 24 points and nine rebounds, and scored on a layup off an inbounds pass from Anthony Thomas with nine-tenths of a second left, lifting the host Broncos (5-1) over the Cowboys (5-1) for their fifth straight victory at home.

UNLV 82, Fresno State 76: Darris Santee scored 21 points and TreVon Willis added 18 in his return to his hometown of Fresno to help the Rebels (6-2) hand the Bulldogs (2-4) their second straight loss at home. Paul George scored 24 points for Fresno State.

Santa Clara 59, San Jose State 56: John Bryant had 20 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, and scored on a tip-in with 7.5 seconds remaining as the visiting Broncos (3-4) rallied from a six-point deficit in the final six minutes to beat the Spartans (2-3).

DIVISION II

HAWAI'I PACIFIC 82, ALASKA-FAIRBANKS 71: Mike Helton scored 28 points, Jason Curtis added 17 and Jeff Ingram 13, helping the Sea Warriors (2-2) rally past the Nanooks (0-4) at Blaisdell Arena.

Trailing 40-36 at intermission, HPU tied the game at 43 on a 3-pointer by Curtis and took a 44-43 lead on Willis McPehee's free throw.

A steal and layup by Kevin Buggs, who scored 15 points, gave the Nanooks a 45-44 lead. Ingram nailed a 3-pointer for a 47-45 lead with 15:04 to play and the Sea Warriors never trailed again.

WOMEN'S TOP 10

No. 1 Connecticut 96, Holy Cross 37: Tahirah Williams went 7 for 8 from the field and scored a career-high 17 points to lead five teammates in double figures as the host Huskies (6-0) routed the Crusaders (1-6) for their fifth straight game scoring at least 90 points.

No. 2 North Carolina 72, No. 18 Ohio State 63: Jessica Breland scored 21 of her 29 points in the first half and the visiting Tar Heels (9-0) took a 41-37 lead and held the Buckeyes (6-2) scoreless for more than nine minutes of the second half in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

No. 6 Oklahoma 69, Creighton 49: All-America center Courtney Paris recorded her 99th straight double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds, twin sister Ashley added 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the host Sooners (5-2) used a late 12-0 run to putt away the Bluejays (2-4).