EAST LANSING, Mich. -- No. 2 Notre Dame has been on the road since losing to top-ranked UConn a couple weeks ago, picking up victories and gaining confidence. Fighting Irish coach Muffet McGraw believes this stretch of the season will pay off later this season and into the postseason.Brianna Turner had 19 points, seven rebounds and five blocks, leading Notre Dame to a businesslike 79-61 win over Michigan State on Tuesday night.The Fighting Irish (11-1) have won three straight, against then-No. 16 DePaul, Toledo and Michigan State. They will stay on the road for three more games before finally playing at home Jan. 5 against Wake Forest.Its going to prepare us for the ACC, and the NCAA Tournament, McGraw said. Its great for us.Notre Dames Marina Mabrey had 19 points and five assists, one of three players on her team with at least five assists. Kathryn Westbeld scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Reserve Arike Ogunbowale added 11 points. The Irish never trailed and led by as much as 13 in the first half and by 19 points in the second half.The Spartans (10-3) had won four straight since getting beat by No. 19 Syracuse.Michigan States Tori Jankoska had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists, but didnt get much help from her overmatched teammates.Shes trying to put this team on her back, Spartans coach Suzy Merchant said. Shes done a pretty good job of that.The only other player to score in double figures for Michigan State was reserve Victoria Gaines, who had 12 points.BIG PICTURENotre Dame: With poise, Notre Dame made 3-pointers on ensuing possessions after giving up 3-pointers to the Spartans early in the game to prevent them from keeping the game closer and quieting their fans that filled much of the lower level at the Breslin Center. After the Spartans made consecutive shots to pull within 10 to get their crowd fired up early in the fourth, Turner responded with a basket on the next trip down the floor to put Notre Dame back ahead by 12 points.We hung around but couldnt get over the hump, Merchant said.Michigan State: The Spartans saw up close how good an elite team is, and confirmed how far away they are from that level. If Aerial Powers was playing for them, instead of sitting in the stands after skipping her senior season to play in the WNBA, they wouldve likely been one of the top teams in the Big Ten and perhaps in the country. The Dallas Wings drafted Powers No. 5 overall and she averaged 10.4 points as a rookie.If they had her, she would have made a huge difference, McGraw said. They would be really unstoppable.Merchant said Powers wouldve likely scored 20 much-needed points against Notre Dame.We were one scorer away, she said.INJURY REPORTNotre Dame: Guard Jackie Young returned from a two-game absence because of an ankle injury, but aggravated it again after playing just 2 minutes at Michigan State. Its still not healed, McGraw said. Guard Ali Patberg has played sparingly in two games, 1 minute against the Spartans and 3 minutes at Toledo after missing eight games with a virus and being out last season with a knee injury.Michigan State: Forward Jenna Allen, who ranks third on the team in scoring, scored two points in 14 minutes despite having the flu.SPARTAN SUPPORTMembers of Michigan States mens basketball team, including Miles Bridges , who isnt wearing a walking boot on his injured left ankle, watched the first half of the game behind the Spartans bench.UP NEXTNotre Dame: The Irish play at Chattanooga on Dec. 27, their final nonconference game before opening ACC play Dec. 29 at North Carolina State.Michigan State: The Spartans have a long break before their next game on Jan. 1 at home against Illinois. Cheap Nike Air More Uptempo Shoes . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Nike Epic React Flyknit Cheap . The Oilers come in having lost five in a row (0-4-1) and 16 of their last 20 games, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. http://www.nikereactsale.com/cheap-nike-air-more-uptempo-shoes.html . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. Nike Shox Clearance . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Nike React Clearance . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. CHICAGO -- The Chicago Bears hit the halfway point of the season and their bye week feeling at least a little better about themselves.After all, they just beat the first-place team in their division. Then again, thats about the only positive for them so far.After stumbling through their first seven games, the Bears stunned the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings 20-10 on Monday night.We proved that last night, that when we come with our `A game we can beat anybody, running back Jordan Howard said Tuesday.The Bears (2-6) certainly had it going for them against the Vikings, with Howard, Jay Cutler and the defense all coming up big. Howard, a fifth-round draft pick, ran for a career-high 153 yards and a touchdown. Cutler threw for 252 yards and a TD after missing five games with a thumb injury, and the defense sacked Sam Bradford five times.I think it was important to kind of have a game like we had last night to build confidence against a very worthy opponent, coach John Fox said. Its really the first time I can remember all season that weve put 60 minutes of three-level good performance. I think that gives you confidence. Something goods got to happen to have confidence and hopefully we can build on that coming off our bye.Yes, it was a good night all around, the kind they thought would happen on a more regular basis. Instead, theyve been hit hard by injuries and bogged down by poor play. And instead of making a jump in Foxs second season, they have been heading in the wrong direction coming off a six-win season.Whether they can build on this is to be determined. But the upcoming schedule at least appears manageable, with only one of the next five games against a team that currently has a winning record.They play at Tampa Bay (3-4) affter the break and then visit the New York Giants (4-3).dddddddddddd This stretch also includes two games against .500 teams in Tennessee and Detroit and the lowly San Francisco 49ers, owners of the NFLs second-worst record at 1-6.The Bears have given their players a full week off after they delivered their most complete game of the season. The team hopes the down time will help several players, including nose tackle Eddie Goldman, return from injuries.Chicago has gotten a few back in recent weeks, most notably linebacker Pernell McPhee and Cutler. And on Monday night, the Bears took it to the Vikings in just about every area.Perhaps the biggest surprise was the way a short-handed offensive line handled the No. 1 defense. That group dominated from the start even though starting guards Kyle Long (triceps) and Josh Sitton (ankle) sat out with injuries.Cutler got the protection he needed and settled into a groove after a shaky start.Howard easily surpassed his previous high of 118 yards with the line blowing open holes for him. The fifth-round draft pick broke off a 69-yarder early in the game that was the longest run for Chicago in seven years.Throw in the first touchdown catch of the season for Alshon Jeffery plus the defense taking down Bradford, and it added up to a stunning win for a struggling team.Now, all the Bears have to do it build on it.Its supposed to continue to get better, linebacker Danny Trevathan said. We feel weve just kind of started. Were not satisfied with it. Were going to continue to work to get better.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '