The Michigan State basketball Spartans and Michigan basketball Wolverines faced off on Tuesday night in East Lansing with bragging rights on the line.
Michigan basketball lost a ton of close games on the year and has spent plenty of time in the basement of the Big Ten Conference. Michigan State basketball was a preseason Final Four favorite but came out sputtering and still hasn't fully found itself as a potential contender this year despite Tyson Walker's Conference Player of the Year caliber performances.
The Spartans were listed as one of the most underrated teams in college basketball recently. Coach Tom Izzo reacted to watching his son Steven score his first points in an MSU uniform.
On Tuesday night, the Wolverines jumped out to a surprising first half lead behind 12 points from former Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn.
It underscored the fierce nature and intensity of the rivalry that Coach Izzo spoke at length about previously.
Izzo on Why MSU-Michigan Rivalry Matters
Izzo said that the “whole world has changed” recently in surprising comments uttered after mentioning his rivals and their recent championship runs.
Michigan State basketball and Michigan basketball have both made long runs in the NCAA Tournament in recent years but things have changed lately, a detail that Izzo said is important in framing the rivalry.
While Michigan State basketball and Michigan basketball haven't made those runs recently, both programs still matter in the eyes of fans, and that makes all the difference.
Michigan State is likely to make this year's NCAA Tournament, while Michigan basketball will be left on the outside looking in, unless they somehow win the Big Ten Conference tournament later this year.
Michigan and Michigan State meet as both teams aren't where we're used to seeing them.
“We've both been involved in championship runs at this time of year… . And right now, we're both struggling a little bit," Tom Izzo said. "But I still think the rivalry is important." pic.twitter.com/4sWgg8Nw97
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) January 31, 2024
Michigan State Basketball's Tournament Chances
The Spartans entered Tuesday night's game with a 12-8 record.
A loss to Michigan basketball would greatly hurt their tournament chances considering that Michigan basketball entered the game with a 7-13 record.
As the second half got underway, Izzo's team took the lead back from their rivals to the south, underscoring the unpredictable nature of one of the best annual matchups in college sports.
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