MSU Basketball vs. Michigan 81-62

The highly anticipated clash between the Michigan State University (MSU) basketball team and the University of Michigan was a game that will be remembered for years to come. The final score of 81-62 in favor of MSU showcased their dominance on the court and solidified their position as one of the top teams in college basketball.

From the opening tip-off, it was evident that MSU came prepared to play. Their offensive prowess was on full display as they effortlessly moved the ball around, finding open shots and capitalizing on every opportunity. The team's star player, who scored an impressive 30 points, led this offensive charge with his exceptional shooting skills and ability to drive to the basket.

MSU will play bigger games than this in the coming months — it hopes, at least — but it couldn’t get to those until it found a way past the 14th-place team in the Big Ten, its beleaguered rival, which was threatening to ruin the night and perhaps more.

MSU’s early second-half run turned a dicey situation — a five-point deficit one minute into the second half — into an 81-62 win over Michigan that allowed the game to turn into the party it was intended it to be, a celebration of Izzo’s 700th win.

MSU has looked inconsistent all year. One night, they look like world-beaters who are marching towards a deep postseason run. Another, they look like a middle-of-the-road Big Ten team on the fringes of the NCAA Tournament, at best.

Michigan, on the other hand, has completely fallen apart. The Wolverines are 7-13. They’ve lost eight of their last nine and are searching for answers. That being said, you can expect that once this game starts, none of that will matter. As Tom Izzo said, as long as he’s alive, the rivalry will be the rivalry.

That’s potentially a somewhat regular lineup in 2024-25, if everyone sticks around. It’s a lineup full of hope for this season, too — all guys MSU is hoping can take another step in February to help elevate the Spartans’ ceiling.

It was a competitive minute, with each team hitting a 3-pointer. It felt like longer, perhaps because the lineup was so notable, like Izzo was searching for something or willing to reconsider some things.

In the end, though, it was the Spartans’ mainstays who won this game, taking over with a 16-1 run early in the second half, in part because MSU’s coaches left that group on the floor for nearly six minutes, other than substituting Carson Cooper in at center for Mady Sissoko.

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 Sarah H

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