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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 9
Next

7. Miles Bridges

A recent addition to the catalog of characters in this storied rivalry, Bridges could have been higher on the list had he not (intelligently) forgone his final two years of eligibility to go play in the NBA. Nevertheless, he made the most of his time in East Lansing, providing hometown fans a highlight reel of fantastic dunks, flexing, and ferocious passion. As the highest rated recruit Tom Izzo has ever reeled in, this came as no surprise.

Michigan fans will be quick to point out that Bridges was at one point subject to temporary ineligibility because of NCAA findings following an FBI investigation into financial impropriety in college basketball. In reality, that’s making a mountain out of a molehill, because it was due to family members receiving a $40 (gasp!) dinner from a potential agent without his knowledge. However, in this rivalry, sometimes that’s all the ammunition one fan base needs.

6. Trey Burke

A former Mr. Basketball in the state of Ohio, Burke went mostly overlooked as a recruit. He was a borderline 3-star/4-star on most recruiting services, and originally committed to Penn State. He eventually revoked that commitment and came to Ann Arbor, as Michigan was easily the highest profile university that offered him a scholarship.

What followed was a distinguished career, capped off by a National Championship appearance and a handful of National Player of the Year honors. Burke’s most polarizing trait in this rivalry was simply his skill and talent. He was the floor general for a historically great Michigan team, and was accordingly adored by those in blue and hated by those in green. He was also responsible for this historic moment in the rivalry.

Home/Big Ten