EAST LANSING, Mich. — Tre Holloman achieved a personal milestone by scoring 20 points, leading No. 8 Michigan State to a 79-62 victory over No. 17 Michigan. Jase Richardson also contributed significantly with 18 points for the Spartans in their Sunday showdown.
In a tense moment towards the game’s conclusion, with 37.2 seconds remaining on the clock, players from the rival teams engaged in a physical altercation at center court. The commotion began as Wolverines players occupied an area where Spartans seniors traditionally mark the end of their final home game at Breslin Center by kissing the court’s logo.
The Spartans have had an impressive close to the regular season, finishing with a record of 26-5, including a 17-3 run in the Big Ten. They have won their last seven games consecutively, five of which were against ranked opponents from the AP Top 25. Michigan State clinched the inaugural Big Ten basketball championship, outpacing Michigan and the No. 13 Maryland by three games.
Legendary coach Tom Izzo, now in his 30th season, claimed his 11th Big Ten title, equating Purdue’s Ward “Piggy” Lambert’s 1990 milestone and Indiana coach Bob Knight’s 1993 achievement.
Michigan, now 22-9 overall with a 14-6 conference track, is currently struggling, having lost three consecutive games, their longest downturn of the season. Despite a standout performance by Vladislav Goldin, who scored 29 points for Michigan, and a delayed offensive push by Danny Wolf with 15 of his 18 points coming in the second half, the Wolverines were unable to mount a comeback.
For Michigan, under the stewardship of Coach Dusty May, the season started with higher performance than anticipated. However, their play has significantly faltered at a crucial juncture. Conversely, Michigan State, under Izzo’s guidance, has surpassed preseason expectations and emerged as a formidable force in the conference.
A pivotal play occurred when Jase Richardson hit a decisive 3-pointer with 8:56 left in the game, halting Michigan’s attempt to close a 14-point gap, and reestablishing Michigan State’s command.
A critical statistical measure shows that Michigan State capitalized on Michigan’s mistakes, turning their opponent’s 11 turnovers into 18 points, culminating in a dominant first-half lead of 50-28.
Looking ahead, Michigan State holds the top seed entering the Big Ten Tournament, while Michigan is positioned among the four teams that will benefit from dual byes, awaiting their Friday contest in Indianapolis.
