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The second-ranked Michigan Wolverines will hope to bounce back from an upset loss when they take on their bitter in-state rivals, the Michigan State Spartans. The Wolverines entered college basketball's top two despite a loss to Baylor, holding the top spot in the Big Ten with a 13-1 conference record.
The Spartans, meanwhile, have not had as much success in Big Ten play, entering this matchup with an 8-10 conference record.
Match Details
Fixture: Michigan State Spartans vs Michigan Wolverines - NCAA Men's Basketball.
Date & Time: Thursday, March 4th, 2021; 7 PM ET.
Venue: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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Michigan State Spartans Preview
The Michigan State Spartans have gone downhill since their stellar start to the 2020-21 campaign. The Spartans seemed to have found their rhythm after taking down back-to-back top-five opponents. However, since then, they lost to unranked Maryland and narrowly beat unranked Indiana.
Michigan State sits in ninth place of the Big Ten standings, averaging just 70 points in team offense per game. With the Michigan Wolverines awaiting on their home court, the Spartans will need a huge night to upset the top seeds on Thursday.
Key Player - Aaron Henry
Junior forward Aaron Henry has emerged as the Michigan State Spartans' top scorer, averaging 15.1 points per game on 44% shooting.
Henry is having his best year as a Spartan, making plays from the paint, with 3.6 assists per game to go along with 5.5 boards.
The 6' 6" sharpshooter is certainly not lacking in confidence, attempting 88 more shots than the next closest Spartan.
With just two games left on their schedule, the Spartans will hope to keep Aaron Henry in the zone as the conference tournament approaches.
Michigan State Spartans Predicted Lineup
F Aaron Henry, F Julius Marble II, F Gabe Brown, G Joshua Langford, G Rocket Watts.
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Michigan Wolverines Preview
The red-hot Michigan Wolverines received a boost in the standings following the Baylor loss, leaving just the undefeated Gonzaga Bulldogs above them. The Wolverines were blown out in their last game, though, falling to the fourth-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini.
With the loss, the Wolverines' seven-game win streak got snapped, and they will likely swap places with Illinois in the next rankings. The Wolverines still hold a narrow lead in the Big Ten but will need a victory against Michigan State to secure the conference title.
Key Player - Hunter Dickinson
The key factor for the Michigan Wolverines at both ends of the court could be Hunter Dickinson. The 7' 1" freshman has been producing all season, but he was denied by the bigs of Illinois on Tuesday.
Dickinson finished with just six points and five rebounds, which was well below his season average of 14 points and eight boards. He will need to leave that behind and regain his confidence to lift the Michigan Wolverines to a crucial victory.
Michigan Wolverines Predicted Lineup
G Isaiah Livers, F Hunter Dickinson, G Eli Brooks, F Franz Wagner, G Mike Smith.
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Michigan State vs Michigan Prediction
The Michigan State Spartans took down a talented Indiana Hoosiers team in their last meeting, but their efforts may have come too late.
The Spartans will need one of their best performances at both ends of the floor to keep this game close. The Michigan Wolverines, meanwhile, will not be happy after the blowout loss and could likely capitalize on their home-court advantage.
Where to watch the Michigan State vs Michigan game?
The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
