Michigan’s trip to the Rutgers win last week gave the Wolverines a little momentum, but the bigger test arrives Saturday night in Ann Arbor. Michigan State comes in battered, winless in Big Ten play and carrying a six-game losing streak, and this rivalry game could tilt quickly if Michigan’s defense keeps doing what it has done all season.
The Wolverines have taken the last four meetings with the Spartans, and this will be the fifth time the matchup is played under the lights. Even with the recent edge in the series, this one does not feel like a clean setup for a runaway.
Michigan’s offense has been too inconsistent for that. The Wolverines finally showed some life in the 28-21 win over Rutgers, but one good outing is not enough to convince anyone this group is ready to start piling up points with ease.
That said, Michigan State has its own problems, and they are piling up fast. The Spartans rank 133rd in total offense at 291.4 yards per game, just behind Michigan at 127th with 316.4 yards per game.
In other words, this shapes up as a matchup between two of the worst offenses in the country. The difference is that Michigan at least has a defense that can carry the load.
That defensive gap is the biggest reason the Wolverines should feel good about this one. Michigan ranks fourth in defensive SP+, while Michigan State does not crack the top 50.
The Spartans also have quarterback uncertainty, with starting quarterback Alessio Milivojevic listed as questionable to play as of Thursday night. Even if he goes, the source notes he could be dealing with meaningful physical limitations.
Michigan, meanwhile, could be getting some important help back. John Henry Daley, Dom Nichols, and Rod Moore are all expected to return this weekend, though the Wolverines’ offense may be without one of its starting offensive linemen. Health-wise, the edge appears to be with the home team, especially with Michigan State dealing with a long injury list.
There is still reason to expect a fight. Michigan has not shown it can put teams away in a hurry, and the Spartans will treat this game like it means everything.
They have been bad, but not passive. Some tricks should be coming.
Michigan will need to absorb them, stay patient and let the defense do the heavy lifting.
The most likely script is a close game for a while before Michigan’s defense takes over and the Wolverines pull away. The offense does not need to be spectacular for that to happen.
It just needs to be steadier than it has been for most of the season. If that happens, Paul Bunyan stays in Ann Arbor.
In Other News...
Michigan State Is One Win From The Final After Wild Finish
Bella Najera delivered the kind of finish that can define a tournament run, scoring in the 96th minute to lift Michigan State past Washington, 3-2, in a wild Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal. The Spartans had to navigate a back-and-forth match that featured multiple swings in momentum before Najera finally put it away, sending Michigan State into the semifinals with plenty of drama still fresh from the quarterfinal stage.
Michigan State now gets the matchup it was hoping to earn, a semifinal date with Michigan and a chance to keep its postseason push alive against a familiar rival. After surviving a tense, high-scoring battle against Washington, the Spartans will carry both confidence and urgency into the next round, knowing one more win would put them within reach of the final. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo Still Sees A Michigan State Problem After Blowout Win
Michigan States 91-61 win over Toledo looked comfortable on the scoreboard, and Tom Izzo had reasons to like what he saw. The Spartans showed off the kind of depth that can carry a team through a long season, and Izzo has been working through roster adjustments as he tries to settle on the right combinations. For a team with bigger goals ahead, it was the sort of game that can reinforce the upside without fully answering every question.
Izzo still came away focused on the details that tend to matter most once the competition gets sharper. Free-throw shooting and turnovers remained issues in his eyes, even in a lopsided victory, and that leaves Michigan State with work to do before Duke arrives on the schedule. A win like this helps the record, but it also serves as a reminder that the Spartans are still chasing cleaner execution. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Looks Dangerous But One Problem Could Loom Large Vs Duke
Michigan States rout of Toledo offered plenty to like, especially from a freshman who looked right at home in the spotlight. Josiah Jervis led the Spartans with 16 points and opened the game by knocking down all three of his first-half 3-pointers, giving Tom Izzos group an early spark in a 91-61 win that also featured a commanding effort on the glass. The Spartans finished with 52 rebounds and overwhelmed Toledo by 27 on the boards, a sign they can control a game physically when they are locked in.
The next test is a much different one, though, and it arrives quickly with No. 2 Duke waiting in the Champions Classic. Michigan State showed enough offensive balance and rebounding muscle to suggest it can hang with elite competition, but the turnovers and free-throw issues remain the kind of flaws that can get exposed fast against a team like the Blue Devils. Against Duke, the margin for error gets a lot smaller, and those little mistakes could loom larger than anything the Spartans did right against Toledo. [Read more 🡒]