If you love college basketball, Friday night has a treat for you. Heck, if you love rivalries, Friday night's matchup between Michigan and Michigan State basketball might just be the perfect storm.
Everything feels like it's on the line on Friday night as the Spartans (21-5, 12-3 Big Ten) head to Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines (20-5, 12-2) with first place in the Big Ten on the line. Both of these teams have separated themselves in the Big Ten standings although Wisconsin, Maryland, and Purdue are nipping at their heels.
The Spartans have a chance to really separate themselves atop the Big Ten if they can win on Friday and continue that momentum into the remaining four games.
Let's get bold ahead of the biggest matchup between these two teams since before COVID-19.
1. Jaden Akins goes off
How many times have you seen me predict this? It's been more than once but I truly believe it this time (I trick myself into believing it's going to happen every game).
But Jaden Akins is going to have himself a massive game in the last road rivalry game of his Spartan career. The recent 1,000-point scorer has had a solid senior season, leading the team in scoring, but he needs a legacy game that will cement himself in the minds of Spartan fans whenever they think about this rivalry. And he'll deliver that.
Akins will finish with a season-high 25 points with four big threes and clutch free throws throughout the game. He knows what it takes to win this rivalry game.
2. The dunk fest continues
Last time out, Michigan State found itself on the right side of a dunk contest. The Spartans threw down what felt like a dozen dunks against Purdue, including two unbelivable alley-oops to Coen Carr that blew the roof off the Breslin Center.
That continues on Friday night in Ann Arbor.
Carr is going to have a few monster dunks that will leave Michigan fans' jaws on the floor and guys like Szymon Zapala, Carson Cooper, and even Jase Richardson will all throw down as well. But the dunk of the night will come from the guy mentioned above: Jaden Akins.
Michigan State will finish with 8-10 dunks.
3. Michigan State pulls off the huge win
We've seen this movie before, folks. Michigan State struggles in early February, losing a handful of games in a row before something clicks and they look unbeatable for the rest of the regular season.
After (somehow) losing to Indiana at home, Michigan State went on the road to beat a really good Illinois team before coming back to the Breslin Center to beat Purdue handily. Now the Spartans go to Ann Arbor to face a really good Michigan team, but the Wolverines have been outscored by a total of four points during their current 7-1 hot streak. That's flirting with danger.
And danger will come in the form of Michigan State on Friday night. The Spartans are motivated, they're ready, and most of these guys have the hate of the rivalry sewn into them.
Expect some payback for football season as the Spartans prove to be the better team and beat Michigan, 75-71.