NCAA Basketball: Michigan vs Michigan State among top local matchups
By Ryan Kay
This rivalry between these two teams from the state of Michigan is heating up and their game against one another may be a great one this Saturday.
10-4. . 2:30 PM ET. Saturday, Jan 7. FOX. 486. 9-5. 485
Team Profiles heading into this game
Spartans . . team. 486. . .
Michigan State
Best Wins: Kentucky (86-77), Oregon (74-70), at Penn State (67-58), and Villanova (73-71)
Notable Defeats: Gonzaga (63-64), Alabama (70-81), Northwestern (63-70), at Notre Dame (52-70)
KenPom Ranking: 42
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 60
Sagarin Ranking: 34
NET Ranking: 56
Quadrant 1 Wins: Two
Quadrant 2 Victories: One
Quadrant 3 Wins: Three
team. 485. . . . Wolverines .
Michigan
Best Wins: Pittsburg (91-60), Ohio (70-66), Maryland (81-46), and Penn State (79-69)
Notable Defeats: Arizona State (62-87), North Carolina (76-80), Kentucky (69-73), Virginia (68-70), and Central Michigan (61-63)
KenPom Ranking: 45
College Basketball Power Index Ranking: 80
Sagarin Ranking: 38
NET Ranking: 77
Quadrant 1 Wins: Zero
Quadrant 2 Victories: Three
Quadrant 3 Wins: Three
Rivalry History and Game Prediction
Last 10 games of this rivalry: The Spartans have each won six out of the last ten games against the Wolverines.
Current Win Streak: Michigan has won the last game between these two schools, having a one-game winning streak in this rivalry.
The last meeting between both schools: The Wolverines defeated the Spartans on their home court by a final score of 87-70.
Prediction: Michigan State 79 Michigan 71
Both Michigan State and Michigan have had their ups and downs this season. Both teams have had their share of losses with the Spartan’s losses being highlighted by a double-digit road loss to Notre Dame and a home loss to Northwestern and the Wolverines had a shocking defeat at home to Central Michigan and a double-digit loss on a neutral court to Arizona State. However, both teams have shown signs during the season that they can contend in the Big Ten this season.
Michigan is undefeated at 3-0 in Big Ten play as they defeated all three of their opponents in conference play thus far by double digits, including Hunter Dickinson dropping 35 to beat Maryland. Even though the Spartans lost to Northwestern, Michigan State defeated Penn State on the road and beat Nebraska by 18 and are 2-1 in Big Ten play heading into their matchup against the Wolverines.
Besides Penn State, which both Michigan State and Michigan defeated this season, the only other common opponent is Kentucky in which both teams played the Wildcats on a neutral court with the Spartans defeating Kentucky in double overtime and the Wolverines losing in a close game and falling to the Wildcats by only four points.
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This should be a great game in this storied rivalry between these two programs from the Big Ten that reside in the state of Michigan. The team that wins this game can utilize the momentum from the victory to potentially propel them in the chase for the conference title. Time will tell and many college basketball fans in the state of Michigan and around the country will be tuning in to watch this game.