One of many largest video games through the convention play portion of the 2025-26 school basketball season will happen in East Lansing, Michigan, when No. 7 Michigan State faces No. 3 Michigan on Friday. That is the 197th all-time assembly between the packages, with Michigan main the sequence over its in-state rival, 104-92.
Michigan State has received the final 4 conferences in opposition to Michigan, and the Wolverines’ final win over the Spartans on the Breslin Heart got here in 2018.
The Wolverines are coming off a dramatic 75-72 win over Nebraska at house, which marked the Cornhuskers’ first lack of the season. Michigan has received its final 5 video games since dropping to Wisconsin at house. The Spartans’ lone loss in Huge Ten play got here in opposition to Nebraska on the street earlier this month. Since that recreation, the Spartans have fired off seven consecutive victories to maneuver to 9-1 in Huge Ten play.
Right here is every little thing you must know forward of Michigan’s matchup with Michigan State on Friday.
Michigan vs. Michigan State: Have to know
Wolverine bigs vs. the Spartans is the matchup to look at: The staple of Dusty Could’s tenure at Michigan has been utilizing two bigs. Final 12 months, Could deployed Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin on the entrance line. This 12 months, Michigan has been working Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara within the frontcourt. That may be a matchup nightmare for opponents. Dealing with the Wolverines bodily and elite entrance court docket can be Michigan State’s No. 1-ranked protection in adjusted effectivity, per KenPom.com. Spartan bigs Jaxson Kohler and Carson Cooper will face their hardest matchup but.
Michigan State seeks greatest begin in program historical past: With a win over Michigan, the Spartans would transfer to 20-2. That may mark one of the best 22-game begin in program historical past. Michigan State’s losses this season have each come in opposition to high 10 groups. Michigan State misplaced at house final month in opposition to No. 4 Duke (66-60) and fell to Nebraska on the street (58-56). That historic begin was virtually put in jeopardy earlier this week when MSU needed to rally to defeat Rutgers 88-79 in additional time. In that recreation, Michigan State trailed for nearly 36 minutes of regulation.
Winner takes management of the Huge Ten race: With Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois all with only one loss in opposition to Huge Ten competitors, the winner of Friday night time’s recreation will transfer into sole possession of first place within the convention. Whereas each of those groups are set to fulfill once more later this season, this recreation could have large implications for who wins the convention. Notably, Michigan State and Michigan each face Illinois once more this season.
The place to look at Michigan vs. Michigan State dwell
Date: Friday, Jan. 30 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Breslin Heart — East Lansing, Michigan
TV: Fox | Dwell stream: fubo (Attempt without cost)
Michigan vs. Michigan State prediction, decide
Michigan is 5-0 in true street video games this season, whereas Michigan State is 11-1 at house. The Wolverines have performed higher since dropping their first recreation of the season in opposition to Wisconsin. The important thing matchup right here is whether or not Lendeborg can get going. The previous UAB star was a double-double machine final season. Nonetheless, he has recorded simply three double-doubles at Michigan. My prediction is he has a giant night time, and Michigan wins by 5. Choose: Michigan -1.5
Who will win and canopy in each school basketball recreation? Go to SportsLine to get picks from the mannequin that simulates every recreation 10,000 occasions and is up greater than $1,200 for $100 gamers on its top-rated unfold picks the previous six years.