When Michigan and Michigan State meet on the hardwood, it always means something. But when both programs are ranked in the top 10? That’s when the rivalry goes from heated to historic.
This Friday night in East Lansing, the stakes are sky-high as No. 2 Michigan heads into the Breslin Center to face No.
8 Michigan State (8 p.m. ET, FOX).
According to the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, this is the highest combined ranking ever for a Michigan-Michigan State basketball game. That’s saying something for a rivalry that’s been running strong for over a century.
This marks just the fourth time these two have squared off as top-10 teams, and only the second time it’s happened during the regular season. Interestingly, all four of those matchups have come in the last 13 years-a sign of just how far both programs have come in the modern era. Michigan State holds a 2-1 edge in those games, but Michigan has a chance to even the score on Friday.
Let’s rewind and break down the three previous top-10 battles between the Wolverines and Spartans-each one packed with its own drama, defining moments, and postseason implications.
**Feb. 12, 2013: No.
8 Michigan State 75, No. 5 Michigan 52**
The first-ever top-10 clash between these two powerhouses wasn’t close. Not even a little.
Michigan State came out firing and never let up, cruising to a 75-52 win in front of a raucous home crowd at the Breslin Center. Four Spartans scored in double figures, with freshman guard Gary Harris dropping 17 points and big man Derrick Nix adding 14. It was a statement win-physical, disciplined, and emphatic.
For Michigan, it was a humbling night. But the Wolverines didn’t let that loss define them.
They bounced back later in the season, and in March, they made a run all the way to the national title game, ultimately falling to Louisville in a tightly contested final. That 2013 squad, led by Trey Burke and company, remains one of the most beloved in program history.
March 3, 2013: No. 4 Michigan 58, No. 10 Michigan State 57
Just three weeks later, the rematch delivered one of the most memorable finishes in rivalry history.
Both teams were struggling a bit heading into this one. Michigan State had dropped back-to-back games to Indiana and Ohio State, while Michigan had lost four of its previous seven. But when the lights came on at Crisler Center, one player rose above the rest.
Trey Burke.
The sophomore point guard, who would go on to win the Wooden Award that season, turned in a signature performance: 21 points, eight assists, and five steals-including two huge ones in the final 30 seconds to seal the win. Michigan edged out the Spartans, 58-57, in a gritty, grind-it-out battle that had the feel of March before the calendar even turned.
While Michigan stumbled in the Big Ten Tournament, they found their rhythm in the NCAA Tournament, making a thrilling run to the Final Four and eventually finishing as national runner-up.
March 17, 2019: No. 8 Michigan State 65, No. 9 Michigan 60
Fast forward to 2019, and the stakes were once again massive-this time in the Big Ten Tournament title game in Chicago.
By then, Michigan State had already taken two from Michigan that season, including a decisive 75-63 win just eight days earlier that clinched the regular-season conference crown. But the Spartans weren’t done.
In their third meeting of the year, Michigan State completed the sweep with a 65-60 victory at the United Center. It was a game that showcased the Spartans’ resilience and ability to close, even against a Michigan team that had been to the national championship game just one year prior.
That win propelled Michigan State into the NCAA Tournament with momentum, and they carried it all the way to the Final Four-their first since 2015-before falling to eventual runner-up Texas Tech. For Tom Izzo’s squad, it was a season defined by toughness, depth, and a clean sweep of their biggest rival.
Now, here we are again, with both teams ranked, the rivalry renewed, and the eyes of the college basketball world locked in on East Lansing.
Michigan is looking to tie the top-10 series. Michigan State is trying to defend home court and extend its edge.
And fans? They’re in for another chapter in what’s become one of the sport’s most compelling rivalries.
Friday night’s showdown isn’t just about rankings or records-it’s about bragging rights, postseason momentum, and a chance to carve out another unforgettable moment in a rivalry that’s already packed with them.