East Lansing — A couple of weeks ago, Sunday’s game between Michigan and Michigan State was supposed to be a battle for the Big Ten. Instead, it was a blowout between a team already crowned and a team in a freefall.
In a one-sided affair, No. 8 Michigan State won its seventh straight game by beating Michigan, 79-62, Sunday afternoon at Breslin Center. The Spartans completed a season sweep of their in-state rival, while the Wolverines lost their fourth game in the past six despite a strong second-half push.
BOX SCORE: No. 8 Michigan State 79, No. 17 Michigan 62
Michigan State’s win set a school record for victories in Big Ten play in a season at 17, having already clinched the outright Big Ten title with Thursday’s win over Iowa.
Michigan State (26-5, 17-3 Big Ten) laid the seeds of a blowout early. Jaden Akins hit a pair of 34s early on to erase Michigan’s only lead of the game. Meanwhile, eight teammates chipped in points. By the time Akins hit his third 3 a few minutes later, the Spartans led by double digits as part of a 12-1 run. It never got any closer.
So much of that had to do with Michigan State’s defense, which looked true to form as the class of the Big Ten. Closeouts were quick, positioning was strong and help was on time. Michigan (22-9, 14-6) turned the ball over 11 times in the first half, five before the first media timeout, against such sticky defense.
The shots kept falling for Michigan State, with Akins and guard Tre Holloman hitting three each in the first half. Jase Richardson hit one in the corner with 6:35 left in the first half to give his team an 18-point lead, dragging his hand down his face as he pedaled backward in front of the Michigan bench. Free throws from Frankie Fidler at 3:59 kept it that way, 37-19, after the Wolverines pushed back.
While center Vlad Goldin scored 14 of the first 17 points for Michigan, he finally started getting more help in the final stretch of the first half. Rubin Jones hit a 3, and Danny Wolf hit three free throws.
But the game remained a Michigan State blowout, and Breslin Center stayed on its feet. At 1:48, Richardson dunked a baseline lob to take a 20-point lead, then Akins stole the ball at halfcourt to feed a one-handed Jaxon Kohler jam. Michigan State ended the first half up 50-28.
Scoring cooled to start the second half as neither team made a field goal until a Goldin and-one at 2:0. The play occurred six seconds after Goldin and Jeremy Fears Jr. each earned double technical fouls. A Kohler 3 responded, but Goldin continued to be Michigan’s pulse.
Michigan found a stronger rhythm as a team seven minutes in, as Goldin and Wolf found a 7-0 run by getting to the rim. The duo paired up on the glass, too, a big part of Michigan’s efforts there, living up to the billing of twin 7-footers. Goldin finished the game with 29 points, while Wolf found 18. Michigan State led 61-43 with 11:53 to play.
The Wolf-Goldin show continued with another Goldin layup out of the media timeout, followed by one more from teammate L.J. Cason. Suddenly, a Michigan State team once up 25 on its rival had let its foot off the gas defensively, as the run grew to 14-0. The Spartans still led by 11.
With a corner 3, Richardson snapped a span of 5:35 without a field goal with a corner three. But there was a problem. After getting knocked into the crowd earlier in the second half, an already uncomfortable Richardson showed a limp after running into an official.
Michigan didn’t pull closer, in part due to a leveling presence from Holloman. His 20 points set a career high, and many came when his team needed them most to keep Michigan State up double digits when the Wolverines fought back.
As Wolf continued to score for Michigan, the Spartans’ guards kept pace. Fears hit four free throws down the stretch, while Richardson and Holloman continued to provide scoring. The bigs rebounded better around them.
Michigan State checked in its seniors as the final minute ticked down. As the Spartans subbed them out, Michigan’s Durral Brooks and Cason stood on the Spartan logo right in the middle of the proceedings, causing a scuffle with Holloman. Holloman and Cason left with a tech each. Michigan State’s senior got their ceremony, and the Spartans ran out the clock with a 17-point win.
Michigan State heads into the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis as the first seed, where it will play the winner of Oregon and Indiana in a noon game Friday (BTN). A third straight loss for Michigan drops it to a third-place finish in the conference, where it will play either Wisconsin, Minnesota or Northwestern later in Friday’s slate.
@ConnorEaregood
