Michigan @ Michigan St. preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 24, 2019 ) Michigan St 77, Michigan 70

No. 11 Michigan State hosts seventh-ranked Michigan on Saturday with the winner claiming at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title. The Spartans split a pair of games against Indiana (62-63) and Nebraska (91-76) since they knocked off the Wolverines 77-70 on Feb. 24, and can secure their second straight outright conference championship if they complete the season sweep of their instate rivals while No. 9 Purdue falls to Northwestern.

"It's Senior night in our last game for a championship against our rivals at home," Michigan State point guard Cassius Winston told reporters. "That's something you draw up in a movie for sure." Michigan bounced back from their setback to the Spartans with victories over Nebraska (82-53) and No. 24 Maryland (69-62) to set up another winner-take-all clash in the intense rivalry. The Wolverines had won the previous three meetings, including a 75-64 victory in the Big Ten tournament semifinal last season, and can earn their first conference regular season championship since 2014 by posting back-to-back victories in East Lansing for the first time in over 20 years. "We've only lost four games but we had some times this year where we really got pruned," Michigan coach John Beilein told reporters. "When you get pruned you grow back stronger."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

ABOUT MICHIGAN (26-4, 15-4 Big Ten): Freshman forward Iggy Brazdeikis led the way with 21 points to go along with seven rebounds in the win against Maryland to finish in double figures for the fifth straight game. Jordan Poole scored 12 points while Zavier Simpson added 12 points, including four spectacular hooks shots, and 10 assists against the Terrapins to register his fourth double-double of the season. Jon Teske tallied 11 points and 10 rebounds to record his third double-double in as many games. Charles Matthews, who is averaging 12.8 points and 5.1 rebounds this season, is considered day-to-day after missing the last two outings with a sprained right ankle.

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE (24-6, 15-4): Kenny Goins drained six 3-pointers en route to a career-high 24 points to go along with eight rebounds in the win against Nebraska. Matt McQuaid went 4-of-5 from 3-point range to finish with a collegiate-best 22 points while adding five rebounds and four assists, and Aaron Henry added a career-high 15 points as the Spartans shot 53.3 percent from the floor against the Cornhuskers. Winston produced eight points and 10 assists to move past Stan Washington for 29th place on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,243 points. Kyle Ahrens is questionable with a back injury, which caused him to sit out against Nebraska.

TIP-INS

1. Michigan State has won 30 of its last 32 home games since the start of 2017-18.

2. Winston is ranked third nationally in assists per game (7.6).

3. Teske is averaging 15 points and 9.5 rebounds over his last four contests.

PREDICTION: Michigan State 74, Michigan 72