Friday evening’s Michigan State vs Michigan game will be the most anticipated matchup that the rivalry has seen since before COVID-19, but it’ll also take place on Tom Izzo’s 71st birthday.
What better way to celebrate than with a win over the No. 3 team in the country which happens to double as the Spartans’ biggest rival? Michigan State needs to win to stay in control of its own destiny in the Big Ten title race while the Wolverines are trying to break out of a mini “slump” which essentially just means they’re no longer unbeatable.
Michigan State is 19-2 on the season, fresh off its seventh straight Big Ten win, needing overtime to take down a bad Rutgers team on the road. You do want to see your team battle adversity and pick up wins every now and then, though. Even the bad performances can teach teams something.
Michigan is 19-1 on the year, coming off a clutch 75-72 win over No. 5 Nebraska in Ann Arbor. It needed every last second to beat the Cornhuskers who were missing two of their best players.
This game is going to dictate the Big Ten title race between the Spartans, Wolverines, Illinois, Purdue, and Nebraska. There’s a lot on the line on Friday night.
Here’s everything you need to know:
How to watch Friday’s Michigan State vs Michigan game
Date: Friday, Jan. 30
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: East Lansing, Mich.
Venue: Breslin Center
TV: FOX
Live stream: FuboTV or FOX Sports Go
Betting odds for Michigan State vs Michigan
Line: Michigan State +1.5
Over/Under: 145.5
Moneyline: Michigan State -102 | Michigan -118
Injury report for Michigan State vs Michigan
Michigan: N/A
Michigan State: N/A
Ticket prices for the top-10 showdown between rivals
If you’re looking to head to East Lansing for the big game, ticket prices aren’t exactly favorable for the average fan. The lowest ticket price on SeatGeek is $154, and that’s for the upper bowl. If you’re looking to sit lower bowl, you’ll be paying at least $500. This is the hottest ticket in the Big Ten this week — and maybe this season.
Predicting the top-10 battle between Michigan and Michigan State
It’s not going to be easy to predict this one given the fact that the Wolverines have been one of the top three teams in college basketball this season and Michigan State has been red-hot lately, but the Spartans being underdogs at home just doesn’t sit right with me.
Jeremy Fears has dreamed of games like these, and he’s going to rise to the occasion much like Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper, and Coen Carr. The Spartans will come out with more energy.
The advantage that Michigan State has is that the Spartans have more guys who understand the rivalry than the Wolverines. That won’t be the difference between a win or a loss, but the Spartans will be more than prepared for the environment and the weight of Friday’s game.
Fears is going to have another legendary performance, and the Spartans will lock down defensively to bring down the No. 3 team in the country, 74-69.