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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MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 20: Nik Stauskas #11 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a three point shot in the second half during the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 20, 2014 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI – MARCH 20: Nik Stauskas #11 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates a three point shot in the second half during the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 20, 2014 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

4. Nik Stauskas

He was a YouTube sensation in the same vein as Sam McGuffie, but one that turned out to actually translate into talent in his sport at the collegiate level. Hailing from Mississauga, Ontario, Nik Stauskas, who some may now know more affectionately as Sauce Castillo, was part of the renaissance of Michigan basketball that rejuvenated this rivalry and prevented it from being so lopsided (see 1995 through 2010).

Stauskas was quite the sniper from beyond the 3-point arc during his time in college, amassing a career 3PT% of 44% with 172 made 3-point field goals. After his makes from downtown, he’d often put on some three-point goggles, with his tongue flopping around out of his mouth to boot. This behavior was much to the exasperation of Spartan fans across the mitten. Needless to say, Michigan fans everywhere loved the braggadocio.

In his sophomore season, Stauskas led Michigan in scoring, and he saved his best performances for games against the archrival Spartans. In the two regular season match-ups between the two teams, Stauskas put up 22 points per game, going 16 of 25 (64%) from the field, including 8 of 11 (73%) from beyond the arc. That’s a lot of goggles, a lot of tongue flopping, and a lot of animosity aimed his way.

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