Busting Brackets
Fansided

Big Ten Basketball: 10 most polarizing figures in Michigan-Michigan State rivalry

By Joe Cook-Shugart

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 13: Michigan Wolverines celebrates a teammates made basket from the bench during a 82-72 win over the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on January 13, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 13: Michigan Wolverines celebrates a teammates made basket from the bench during a 82-72 win over the Michigan State Spartans at Breslin Center on January 13, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: Darius Morris #4 puts his hand on his coach head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half while taking on the Duke Blue Devils during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – MARCH 20: Darius Morris #4 puts his hand on his coach head coach John Beilein of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half while taking on the Duke Blue Devils during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

10. Darius Morris

D-Mo only stayed in Ann Arbor for two years before entering the 2011 NBA Draft, but it didn’t matter. He was able to make an immediate impact on a basketball program the desperately needed just that. The Spartans had won 10 of 12 in the series before the Wolverines swept the 2010-2011 season match-ups. This included a 70-63 victory in Ann Arbor, which featured a superfluous lay-up by Morris when the game had already been decided. This was followed up by him yelling “Get off my court!” (that is the censored version) at Kalin Lucas.

9. Derrick Nix

A Detroit native who attended Pershing high school, Nix was a Michigan born and raised player who understood the importance of this rivalry. As a top-100 national recruit, he had the talent and the skill set to make an impact as well. What really set Nix apart was the fact that he was pushing 300 lbs and could really body guys and throw his weight around in the block. Lest we forget the “R.I.P ta da competition” tweets that so many Spartans love and so many Wolverines despise.

8. Zack Novak

The type of grit, passion, heart, and determination Novak played with explain why he was elected a captain by his teammates 3 out of his 4 years in Ann Arbor. Those same attributes are exactly what Spartan fans hated about him. Despite his mild-mannered demeanor off the court, he played with tenacity and a feisty attitude on the court. He was the epitome of the type of guy that you love to have on your team, but would almost assuredly hate him if he was on any other team.

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