Wolverine Digest

ESPN College GameDay Host Explains Why Michigan Basketball’s Final Game Means More

Reece Davis shares how intense the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry is.
Justice Steiner|
Michigan head coach Dusty May watches a play against Michigan State during the second half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026.
Michigan head coach Dusty May watches a play against Michigan State during the second half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Rece Davis, the host of ESPN’s College Gameday, spoke on the Michigan-Michigan State basketball rivalry on Saturday afternoon while hosting the show live from Durham, N.C.

The College Gameday crew was at Cameron Indoor Stadium ahead of the Duke vs. North Carolina men’s basketball game tonight at 6:30 p.m. While on the show, Davis talked about the tension between the Wolverines and Spartans as Michigan tries to sweep the home-and-home series for the first time in over a decade.

Michigan basketball postgame presser.
Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23), center, celebrates 86-61 win over Middle Tennessee as he’s interviewed by Big Ten analyst Nik Stauskas at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Davis first talked about how Michigan head coach Dusty May was being harassed by the MSU student section ahead of the first meeting this year in East Lansing.

“You know, head coach Dusty May, he’s got a little gangster in him,” Davis said. “He forever endeared himself to ‘Michigan Men’ by sitting right there in front of the Izzone, oblivious to their taunts.”

On the show, Davis also pointed out the scuffle that happened a season ago during the game in East Lansing. It was Michigan State’s senior day and Michigan guards were standing on the logo where the Spartans were supposed to kiss the floor, which led to an altercation at the end of the game. 

That was May’s first experience coaching the Wolverines at the Breslin Center, leading to many MSU despising him because of it.

Later, Davis explained how he thinks MSU head coach Tom Izzo feels about the University of Michigan.

Tom Izzo
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo speaks during senior day celebration after the game between Michigan State and Rutgers at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Thursday, March 5, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Now, on the other side, it is Tom Izzo, we all know he is a wonderful ambassador of the game,” Davis said. “But if you gave him truth serum right now, he would tell you that he hates Michigan more than he hates world hunger.”

Those are strong words to describe a rivalry. But with that level of intensity, tomorrow’s season finale for the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines should be nothing short of entertaining.

The game is slated for a 4:30 p.m. tip-off at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich. 

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Justice Steiner
JUSTICE STEINER

A Battle Creek, Mich. native, Justice Steiner has been passionately involved in sports, currently as the sports information director at Davenport University, an NCAA Division II program, where he covers 12 sports. He also serves as the creative services director for the men's and women's baseball teams. Prior to DU, Steiner worked as a graduate assistant in the sports information office at the University of Louisville, working closely with the women's soccer, women's basketball, men's tennis and softball programs. While at Grand Valley State University, Steiner began his writing career at the Grand Valley Lanthorn. He graduated from GVSU with a degree in advertising and public relations.

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