Michigan
15-4, 4-2B1G
Michigan State
16-3, 4-2B1G
Wolverines Grab Rivalry Road Win Over No. 4 Spartans
1/13/2018 3:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
» Moritz Wagner recorded a game- and career-high 27 points in the win and collected four rebounds.
» Michigan earned a road win over a top-five team for the first time since defeating No. 3-ranked Michigan State at the Breslin Center on Jan. 25, 2014.
» The Maize and Blue scored 26 points off Michigan State's 18 turnovers, while holding MSU to seven points in the category.
» There were 13 lead changes and 11 ties throughout the game. The Wolverines led for 27:47.
Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Breslin Center)
Score: Michigan 82, No. 4 Michigan State 72
Records: U-M (15-4, 4-2 Big Ten), MSU (16-3, 4-2 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Monday, Jan. 15 --Â vs. Maryland (Crisler Center), 6:30 p.m. (TV: FS1)
• Watch: Postgame Report - Michigan State
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's basketball team defeated No. 4-ranked Michigan State, 82-72, on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 13) at the Breslin Center. The win marked the Wolverines' 99th win against MSU, and first win at the Breslin Center since Jan. 25, 2014, against the No. 3-ranked Spartans.
Four Wolverines scored in double-figures in the win, led by a career-high 27 points from junior Moritz Wagner, followed by sophomore Zavier Simpson (16), senior Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (14) and junior Charles Matthews (10).
Wagner (8-for-8) and Abdur-Rahkman (7-for-7) were perfect from the free-throw line.
After trailing at halftime, the Maize and Blue came out swinging in the second half using an early 8-0 run to regain the lead, 42-39, at the 16:38 mark. Matthews, Abdur-Rahkman and Simpson combined to go 6-for-6 from the charity stripe, capped by a signature freshman Isaiah Livers dunk. Michigan State committed four turnovers during the run.
Common sight during recent @umichbball games:@isaiah__02 abusing the rim. pic.twitter.com/Juhe8RnI4u
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) January 13, 2018
The Wolverines and Spartans kept it a close game throughout the middle of the half before an 11-2 U-M run increased Michigan's lead to 65-57 at the 5:05 mark, one they would not relinquish. It became a game of free throws over the final two minutes of the game as the Maize and Blue went 9-for-12 from the line to finish out the half, capped by another dunk from Livers to give the Wolverines the 10-point victory.
To begin the first half, the Wolverines and Spartans exchanged baskets to make it a 16-all game by the second media timeout at 10:58. Wagner had a three-point play to get the Wolverines on the board for their first lead of the game, 3-2, at 18:44. Michigan State added a basket before Simpson and Wagner went 2-for-2 from deep within 40 seconds of each other to give U-M a 9-4 advantage at the 17:13 mark, its largest lead of the half. The Spartans committed three turnovers in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the game. Michigan State used a 6-0 run to battle back, taking a 10-9 lead over the Wolverines just after the first media timeout.
Despite only leading for 4:34 the entire half, the Spartans used an 8-2, 4:30 run to gain a 37-34 lead over the Wolverines at the half. Overall, there were eight lead changes and eight ties during the first 20 minutes.
Wagner recorded a game-high 13 points in the first half.
Overall, the Wolverines forced 18 turnovers and committed only seven. U-M scored 26 points off turnovers, holding MSU to seven. The Maize and Blue held the Spartans, who average 9.1 triples per game, to three. Going into the game, the Spartans averaged 85.9 points per game and outscored opponents by 22.9 points.
There were 13 lead changes and 11 ties throughout the game. The Wolverines have outscored Michigan State, 168-129, in winning the past two meetings against the Spartans. With the win, U-M improves to 3-2 on the road.
Tweet of the Game
Really, @moritz_weasley?!?!@umichbball is going to pull off the upset at No. 4 Michigan State. pic.twitter.com/TkfZs6Svfw
— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) January 13, 2018
Next up, Michigan will host Maryland on Monday, Jan. 15 at Crisler Center. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff and will be broadcast live on FS1.
