ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jase Richardson led the charge for No. 14 Michigan State with a noteworthy performance, scoring 21 points, while Tre Holloman contributed 18 points in a decisive 75-62 victory over No. 12 Michigan on Friday night. This win propelled the Spartans into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference.
The Spartans improved to a record of 22-5 overall and 13-3 in conference play, marking their third consecutive win as they continue to assert their dominance in the highly contested league. On the other hand, the Wolverines dropped to 20-6 with a 12-3 conference record, suffering their first defeat in seven games, which cost them their lead in the standings.
The Wolverines were led by Vladislav Goldin, who matched Richardson’s points with 21 of his own. Danny Wolf had an impressive game, adding 11 points to go with eight assists and seven rebounds. Another contributor, Nimari Burnett, chipped in with 12 points. On the Michigan State side, Jaden Akins scored 11 points, while Jeremy Fears contributed 10 points to the team’s efforts.
At halftime, Michigan was in the lead with a score of 38-34; however, the Spartans took control in the second half, with Carson Cooper’s dunk marking the moment they surged ahead for good. The team’s ability to shoot from long range was particularly notable, as they made 9 of their 22 attempts from beyond the arc, well above their usual rate.
For Michigan State, the key takeaway was demonstrated by head coach Tom Izzo’s squad, which now finds itself in a strong position to contend for a Big Ten title—something that seemed uncertain at the onset of the season. The Spartans still have critical matchups ahead against conference rivals, including No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 20 Maryland, leading up to their regular-season finale at home against Michigan on March 9.
On the Wolverine’s side, the school announced a multiyear contract extension for coach Dusty May right before the game. May, who is noted for being a protégé of the legendary Bob Knight, expressed his satisfaction with the program and dismissed any interest in pursuing the coaching position at Indiana.
A defining moment in the game came when Holloman sank three 3-pointers in a short span of 1:27 during the second half, allowing the Spartans to take command of the game. An important statistic that highlighted the difference in the game was Michigan State’s depth, with its bench outscoring Michigan’s 31-13.
Looking ahead, Michigan is set to face Nebraska on Monday night, while Michigan State will travel to play Maryland on Wednesday night.
