It promises to be a Big Ten showdown of epic proportions when No. 3 Michigan visits No. 7 Michigan State on Friday night at East Lansing, Mich.
The Wolverines (19-1) and Spartans (19-2) are part of a three-way tie for first (9-1) in conference play along with No. 5 Nebraska.
Michigan State has won its past seven games and Michigan has won its last five after beating the visiting Cornhuskers 75-72 on Tuesday.
“There certainly isn’t going to be anything easy about Friday night,” Wolverines coach Dusty May said. “It’s a game that means a lot for a number of reasons – obviously the rivalry, the fans, I think we’re both capable of winning a Big Ten championship.
“Obviously, a lot is on the line and we’ve got to find a way to get on the road and play a little bit better and get over that hump.”
Michigan is 5-0 in true road games this season, while the Spartans are 11-1 at home.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said there is no love lost between the programs.
“Of course I hate them. They hate us,” Izzo said. “You know, you got friends down there. You think I’m getting Valentine’s Day cards or birthday cards? …
“The key word is ‘respect,’ and I do respect them a lot. So, that’s all that matters. When I die, I don’t care if anybody likes me or not. I care if they respect me.”
Michigan State’s lone Big Ten loss came at then-No. 13 Nebraska on Jan. 2 when the Spartans fell 58-56. Michigan State also lost at home to then-No. 4 Duke in early December.
The Spartans nearly were upset Tuesday before pulling out an 88-79 overtime win at Rutgers.
Michigan State trailed for nearly 36 minutes of regulation before Divine Ugochukwu drained a tying 3-pointer with 11.1 seconds left to force overtime.
Izzo admitted it wasn’t a night in which the Spartans earned the win.
“They deserved to beat us,” Izzo said of the Scarlet Knights. “And yet as I’ve said, whether it be my championship years, other years, there’s always a game or two in the season that you have to win when you don’t play as well or the opponent plays really well, and that’s how you stay above water.”
Jeremy Fears Jr. kept Michigan State afloat by scoring 27 of his career-high 29 points after halftime. He also had nine assists.
Fears is aware the Spartans must raise their level of play against the Wolverines.
“It’s always a battle. At the same time, it’s still basketball and you have to do your part,” Fears said. “It’s a rivalry or whatnot but our goal is to take care of business and win the game.”
Fears leads Michigan State in scoring (14.1 points per game) and ranks second nationally in assists (8.9). Jaxon Kohler averages 13.1 points and team-leading 9.3 rebounds.
Michigan’s game with Nebraska also was decided late. The Wolverines led for just 2 minutes and 3 seconds but survived as Trey McKenney converted a tiebreaking layup with 1:07 to play.
“That’s really what you come here for, to play in those platform games and play against these really good teams in the Big Ten,” McKenney said. “This is the best conference in America, so coming here, this is what I wanted to do.”
Morez Johnson Jr. had 17 points and 12 rebounds for Michigan. He’s second in scoring (13.9) and the team leader in rebounding (7.2). Yaxel Lendeborg averages a team-best 14.2 points.
The Spartans swept the two-game series in each of the past two seasons. The teams will meet again in Ann Arbor on March 8 in the regular-season finale for both squads.
–Field Level Media
