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Michigan State ends Michigan’s 22-game home winning streak, sits alone atop B1G
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There’s no better feeling than winning on your rival’s home floor, but for No. 10 Michigan State, Sunday’s win over No. 7 Michigan was just a little bit sweeter.
With the Spartans posting a 77-70 win over the Wolverines on Sunday, Michigan State sits atop the B1G standings with a 14-3 mark in conference play. It owns a half-game lead over Purdue (13-3) and a full game lead over Michigan (13-4).
Oh, and Michigan State’s win snapped Michigan’s 22-game home winning streak at Crisler Arena. That’s something for the Spartans to celebrate, too.
Cassius Winston was brilliant in MSU’s victory on Sunday, scoring 27 points and dishing eight assists, proving exactly why he’s in the conversation for the B1G Player of the Year. Three other Spartans reached double figures, with Kenny Goins scoring 16 points, Xavier Tillman adding 14 and Matt McQuaid pitched in with 13.
The Wolverines were led by Zavier Simpson, who scored 19 points and Jon Teske had a double-double, going for 10 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Ignas Brazdeikis had 16 points and Jordan Poole scored 15.
Michigan State took particularly good care of the basketball on Sunday, having just seven turnovers in the game. The Spartans also converted on 24-of-30 free throw attempts.
After the victory, Michigan State now controls its own destiny in terms of the B1G regular season title. If the Spartans win out, they’ll claim at least a share of the conference championship, with the only team capable of tying being Purdue.
Michigan will have a chance for revenge in the season finale, when the two teams meet at the Breslin Center on March 9.
The Spartans travel to Indiana next Saturday and will host Nebraska before closing out the year against Michigan. The Wolverines battle the Huskers on Thursday and will travel to No. 24 Maryland before ending the year in East Lansing.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB