Michigan State Basketball: Game-by-game predictions for February 2019
This is the game everyone has been waiting for. Michigan State and Michigan — two rivals who just don’t like each other.
Michigan has won the last three meetings between these two heated rivals but the Spartans won five in a row before that. It’s been a streaky series of late, but Michigan has all the bragging rights in the world, winning the last three by double figures. They’ve been absolutely dominant against Michigan State, but the bleeding has to stop soon, right?
There’s a distinct possibility John Beilein notches his fourth straight win over Tom Izzo in the rivalry and if that does happen, the “Beilien is better than Izzo” talk will be deafening.
No Spartan on the roster wants to lose to Michigan yet again and Cassius Winston and Nick Ward won’t let it happen. They’ll get the young guys to buy into the rivalry hatred and the Spartans will steal one on the road from the favored Wolverines in an instant classic that will see a last-second shot from Jordan Poole fall short.
If you have heart issues, I would not suggest watching this one as it’ll be back and forth all day long, ending in a thriller.
Prediction: Michigan State 68, Michigan 66 (24-4, 15-2)