Michigan State Spartans Fall 77-68 To Michigan Wolverines Official Game Thread
Crisler Center
Ann Arbor, MI
The #14 Michigan State Spartans season record and conference record stands at 16-7 (8-4) looking to end a losing skid.
The team returns to the hard-court today here in Ann Arbor, at the Crisler Center. They will be taking on the Michigan Wolverines. It can be seen on Fox at 12:00 PM (NOON) ET.
Please make sure you refresh this story often for highlights and information from the court, the locker room and all places in between for the most up to date coverage. Also, please comment with your thoughts throughout the game in the comment section below.
Here are five quick details about the game from MSU men’s basketball SID Mex Carey:
1. Series History Michigan State and Michigan meet for the 186th time on Saturday, Feb. 8 ... Michigan leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 100-85 ... The Spartans have won the last four meetings, including an 87-69 decision at the Breslin Center on Jan. 5 ... MSU beat Michigan three times last season, including the regular season finale at the Breslin Center to clinch a share of the Big Ten regular season title, and then in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game ... The Spartans have won 29 of the last 41 games overall and nine of its last 12 ... Tom Izzo is 29-17 in his career against the Wolverines.
2. Last Meeting with Michigan Cassius Winston scored a career-high 32 points and handed out nine assists and then-No. 14 Michigan State led from start to finish in an 87-69 win over then-No. 12 Michigan at the Breslin Center on Jan. 5 ... Xavier Tillman added 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots, while six other Spartans scored at least six points, including Aaron Henry, who had six points, eight rebounds and two blocks and Gabe Brown added six points and six rebounds.
3. About the Spartans Senior guard Cassius Winston leads MSU, and ranks third in the Big Ten, in scoring, averaging 18.5 points per game … Winston is also fourth in the league in assists (5.9 apg), first in free throw percentage, connecting on 86.0 percent of his shots (80-of-93), 11th in field goal percentage (43.0%) and sixth in 3-point percentage (38.5%) ... Junior forward Xavier Tillman is second on the team with 13.3 points per game (16th in the Big Ten) and tops the team (2nd in the Big Ten) with 10.1 rebounds per game, while adding 3.2 assists (T11th in the Big Ten) per game and 2.2 blocks per game (4th in the Big Ten) ... Tillman is the only player in the league in the top-15 in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks ... Sophomore forward Aaron Henry is third on the team with 9.3 points per game, while adding 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists ... MSU has four other players averaging at least 4.0 points per game, led by sophomore forward Gabe Brown, who is averaging 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds ... Freshman guard Rocket Watts, who scored a career-high 16 points at Wisconsin, adds 7.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists ...Freshman forward Malik Hall, who has started the last four games, is averaging 4.7 points and 3.7 rebounds, and sophomore forward Marcus Bingham Jr., is averaging 4.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.
4. Winston Selected as One of 10 Finalists for Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Cassius Winston was one of 10 players selected to the Watch List for the 2020 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award ... Named after Class of 1971 Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic and Holy Cross guard Bob Cousy, the annual honor now in its 17th year recognizes the top point guards in Division I men’s college basketball ... A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the original watch list of 20 candidates ... In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
5. Xavier Tillman Named Finalist for Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Xavier Tillman was named one of 10 candidates for the 2020 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday ... Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its sixth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men’s college basketball ... A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10 ... Tillman is second on Michigan State in scoring with 13.3 points per game and leads the team, and ranks second in the Big Ten Conference, with 10.1 rebounds per game ... Tillman is also second on the team with 3.2 assists (11th in the Big Ten) and leads the team with 2.2 blocks (fourth in the Big Ten).
Starters: Winston, Hall, Brown, Tillman, Henry
Fast start is critical for MSU. 1st five minutes of both halves will tell the story.
UPDATE: 1st media timeout of the 1st half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State tied with the University of Michigan 3-3. 14:04
UPDATE: 2nd media timeout of the 1st half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 9-3. 11:45 MSU has six turnovers
UPDATE: 3rd media timeout of the 1st half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 14-11. 7:21 MSU has six turnovers
UPDATE: FINAL media timeout of the 1st half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 25-17. 3:17 MSU has seven turnovers
UPDATE: 1st media timeout of the 2nd half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 39-38. 14:58 MSU has seven turnovers
UPDATE: 2nd media timeout of the 2nd half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 50-42. 11:10 MSU has seven turnovers
UPDATE: 3rd media timeout of the 2nd half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 55-46. 7:16 MSU has seven turnovers
UPDATE: FINAL media timeout of the 2nd half here in Ann Arbor. #14 Michigan State trails with the University of Michigan 65-55. 2:21 MSU has seven turnovers
Want the latest breaking MSU news delivered straight to your email for FREE? Sign up for the DAILY Spartan Nation newsletter when you CLICK THE MAGAZINE ICON at the top left of the page or the FOLLOW button back on the main page. Don’t miss any of the latest up to the second updates on Michigan State Sports when you follow on Twitter @HondoCarpenter & @JDeuceDullack
