UNC star gets last laugh for 'ridiculous' Michigan State trash talk with Sweet 16 berth

To start their Second Round game of March Madness against the 1-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels, Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans had every reason to be feeling themselves. Despite being a 9-seed, they looked to be a blue-blood Cinderella as they jumped out to a 26-14 lead over UNC, spurred on by veteran Tyson Walker's hot start.

And apparently, the Spartans were inclined to agree with all of that. Because in a game that seemed as if it had an edge with a bit of chippiness throughout, UNC players brought up a consensus sentiment about their opponents that echoed what some media members had been saying, that Michigan State's players were relentlessly talking trash.

That, of course, is a bit of a different vibe when you consider that the Tar Heels went on a huge run from there to take a nine-point halftime lead before continuing to pull away for a 85-69 victory.

After the game, UNC forward Harrison Ingram was asked about the trash talk from their opponents, which he called "ridiculous". But Ingram didn't let the Spartans get the last word in, finishing his answer by saying:

"Now they’re going home, so they see what it got them."

UNC's Harrison Ingram ethers Michigan State after 'ridiculous' trash talk

Ingram and North Carolina got the last laugh, without question, by advancing to the Sweet 16 emphatically. But the forward definitely took some Morton's and shook it into the wounds of Michigan State with those comments postgame.

For his part, Ingram did appear to be particularly motivated throughout the UNC win by whatever Michigan State players were saying. He was involved in a particularly heated moment, jawing and staring down a Spartans player inches away from his face after a big Tar Heels play. But beyond that, Ingram came up huge after a mediocre performance against Wagner.

The Stanford transfer finished the game with 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from 3-point range while also tying the UNC team lead for rebounds with seven and also adding a steal.

North Carolina has been highly reliant on the versatile Ingram, who has been a big part of the Heels' ascension from last season's lows. And his big outing helped put UNC in the Sweet 16, where they await the winner of Sunday's matchup between 4-seed Alabama and 12-seed Grand Canyon with hopes of taking Hubert Davis to his second Final Four.

And Michigan State will be watching it all from East Lansing.