Friday, third-ranked Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball heads to East Lansing looking to knock off its in-state rival, seventh-ranked Michigan State Spartans. It figures to be an exciting matchup as the two rivals, who tied for first place in the Big Ten Conference, will compete for the highest stakes the rivalry game has seen in years.
This will be the first time since St. Patrick’s Day 2019 that both teams meet while ranked in the top ten. Despite similar resumes at this point in the season, the two rivals have found success in different ways-and their coaches have distinct strategies for building their teams and on-court style.
Tom Izzo leads the Spartans with a traditional approach to roster construction. He recruits players out of high school and coaches them up until they are ready to play starring roles by their third or fourth season. Izzo’s three leading scorers—Jeremy Fears Jr., Jaxon Kohler and Cohen Carr— fit that mold to a tee. Each played at least 19 minutes in the Spartans’ win over Michigan last season.
On the other side, second-year Michigan head coach Dusty May has built his team through the transfer portal. While four out of his five typical starters are in their first season with the Wolverines, they are experienced college players who have gelled quickly.
The teams have also found success on the court in different ways. Michigan State has stifled teams on defense, allowing the sixth fewest points per game among all Division I. Offensively, the Spartans rank in the bottom half of Big 10 teams in 3-pointers attempted, preferring to score most of their points close to the basket.
Michigan has been dominant, beating their opponents by an average of 22 points per game—best among Power Conference teams. The Wolverines accomplish this with an elite offense that ranks ninth in points per game.
One thing the teams have in common is they both have a balanced offensive attack, utilizing four to five players to score most of their points, rather than leaving scoring up to a single player. Most top teams rely on one star player to act as an offensive engine.
This year, the bitter in-state rivalry game won’t just draw the attention of alumni and Michigan residents, but it should have college basketball fans across the nation watching, too.
