Michigan to Head to East Lansing to Take on Rival Michigan State

Saturday, January 29

East Lansing, Mich.

12:30 PM

Michigan

Michigan State

(Michigan Photography)

Michigan to Head to East Lansing to Take on Rival Michigan State

1/28/2022 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

By: Tom Wywrot

» Michigan closes its week heading to No. 10 Michigan State and the Breslin Center in the first of two meetings.
» U-M and MSU had its first game (Jan. 8) postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Wolverine program.
» Caleb Houstan has scored in double figures in four of his last five games.
» For a second straight season, Hunter Dickinson leads U-M in scoring (16.5) and rebounding (8.4).

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

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The University of Michigan men's basketball team (10-7, 4-3 Big Ten) closes its week heading to East Lansing on Saturday afternoon (Jan. 29) to take on rival No. 10 Michigan State (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten) at the Breslin Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on CBS with Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) on the call.

The Scene Setter

• Michigan and Michigan State had their first regular-season game, slated for Jan. 8, postponed due to COVID-19 protocols within the Wolverines program. The makeup date is still to be determined.

• After dropping three games while dealing with COVID-19 protocols, U-M has rebounded with three straight wins.

• After earning the Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolade on Monday (Jan. 24), Caleb Houstan stayed red hot, going 3-for-5 from deep and scoring 18 points against Northwestern. He is now 11-for-16 (68.7 percent) over his last three games.

• Michigan has shot more than 56 percent from the field in its last three games, including a season-best 58.3 percent against Maryland.

Whoa! What a 3-Game Stretch

• In nearly identical wins over Maryland (83-64; Jan, 18) and at Indiana (80-62; Jan. 23), the Wolverines rallied to beat Northwestern (72-70; Jan. 26) for their third straight win; all while coming out of COVID-19 protocols within the program.

• The Wolverines have shot 57.2 percent from the field (87-for-152) and 55.1 percent (27-for-49) from long range. U-M has shot above 56 percent in all three games, including a season-high 58.3 percent against Maryland. In the last two games, the Maize and Blue is 19-for-29 (65.5 percent) from beyond the arc.

• Pacing U-M has been Caleb Houstan, who has gone 18-for-26 (69.2 percent) from the field and 11-for-16 (68.8 percent) from long range. He has averaged 17.7 points, posting a career-best 19 at Indiana.

• Not to be outdone, Hunter Dickinson has gone 23-for-34 (67.6 percent) from the field, while posting 18.3 points and 6.7 rebounds. He has added four three-pointers and 12 assists (4.0 apg).

• DeVante' Jones has blended in 11.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, with 13 in the last two games.

Breaking Down the Wolverines

• Scout team member Jaron Faulds posted just his second assist in his third year with the Wolverines. However, it was probably one of his best. With U-M and Northwestern tied at 65, and Hunter Dickinson and Moussa Diabate fouled out, Faulds' quick touch pass to an open Caleb Houstan in the corner led to a three-pointer, giving U-M the lead for good as the Wolverines rallied and held on to beat Northwestern 72-70.

• Behind Hunter Dickinson's team-leading 16.5 points per game, Eli Brooks is second with 11.5 points per game, having posted 13 games in double figures, which tied his single-season career best. He has had 13 double-figure games in each of his last three seasons.

• Eli Brooks has started his last 74 games -- basically his last three seasons. However, they are not technically consecutive as he has missed two games -- one (Wisconsin, Feb. 27, 2020) due to after effects of a broken nose and another (at Minnesota, Jan. 16, 2021) due to a foot injury.

• DeVante' Jones has made 11 of his 15 three-pointers over his last seven games.

• Jones has scored in double figures in six of his last eight games, hitting a season-best 17 twice -- at Central Florida and at Illinois. During his stretch, he has shot 51.4 percent from the field (36-for-70).

• Caleb Houstan (31), Eli Brooks (28), DeVante' Jones (15) and Terrance Williams II (12) have accounted for 86 of Michigan's 115 three-pointers (75 percent).

• Terrance Williams II is 3-for-4 from long range over his last two games. He is 12-for-30 (40.0 percent) on the seasons.

• Houstan has scored in double figures in four of his last five games and is now averaging 10.7 points per game.

• This season, Eli Brooks has gone 87-for-32 (87.5 percent) from the free-throw line. He is 68-for-76 over (89.4 percent) over his last two seasons, and for his career, he is shooting 80.8 percent (114-for-141).

• Right behind Brooks from free throw line is Caleb Houstan, who is 31-for-42 (73.8 percent).

• DeVante' Jones leads U-M with 68 assists (4.0 apg). He had a season-best eight assists at Nebraska (Dec. 7) and vs. UNLV (Nov. 19) at the Roman Main Event in Las Vegas. Jones has seven games of 5+ assists.

• Eli Brooks is second with 46 assists (2.7 apg) with Dickinson right behind with 37 (2.3 apg).

• Moussa Diabate, who is second on the team with 6.2 boards per game, has 13 games with 5+ rebounds -- including his last eight straight, which included his first game of 10+ boards with 13 (Minnesota, Dec. 11).

• Hunter Dickinson (15) and Moussa Diabate (11) have 26 of Michigan's 46 blocks (56.5 percent).

The Michigan State Spartans

• Michigan State sits at 15-4 overall record with a 6-2 mark in the Big Ten -- a half-game behind Illinois (7-2). MSU's four losses were at the hands of three nationally ranked opponents -- No. 6 Kansas in the Champions Classic, vs. No. 1 Baylor in the Battle 4 Atlantis, vs. Northwestern at the Breslin Center, and at No. 24 Illinois in Champaign.

• The Spartans have lost two of their last three games.

• Michigan State averages 74.3 points, 40.1 rebounds (26th nationally) and 16.4 assists per game. With 121 blocks (6.4 bpg), MSU ranks fourth in the nation.

• MSU is led by senior forward Gabe Brown, who has used his team-best 41 three-pointers to post a team-leading 13.4 points per game. He has posted double figures in 17 of 19 games, with two 20+ point games -- including a season-high 24 against High Point (Dec. 29), when he knocked down six triples. He adds 4.7 rebounds and is shooting 90 percent (45-for-50) from the free-throw line.

• Highly-touted freshman Max Christie has averaged 10.1 per game, as he has nine double-figure games -- including a career-best 21 against Nebraska (Jan. 5). He blends in 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Senior forward Marcus Bingham Jr., who averages 9.8 points and a team-best 6.9 rebounds, is second in the Big Ten with 49 blocks (2.7 bpg), which is 22nd nationally.

• Northeastern transfer Tyson Walker averages 7.2 points, while adding a team-best 97 assists (5.1 apg). Coming off the bench, sophomore guard A.J. Hoggard mirrors Walker's 6.4 points a game, and adds 87 assists (4.6 apg) of his own.

• Tom Izzo, who is now in his 27th season coaching the Spartans, has a 24-14 record against Michigan.

The History: Michigan vs. Michigan State

• Michigan and Michigan State have played 194 games, with U-M leading 108-86. U-M has a 38-53 record in East Lansing, winning three times since 1998 (20 games; 3-17).

• There have been 37 games decided by fewer than three points, with U-M leading 21-16. There have been 13 games decided by one point, with U-M leading, 7-6.

• In the last narrow-margin game, March 3, 2013, No. 4 U-M won a thrilling 58-57 game over No. 9 MSU at Crisler Center.

• There have been eight overtime games, with U-M leading 6-2. In the last overtime game, MSU won a 76-66 decision in OT at the Breslin Center on Feb. 1, 2015.

• Longest win streak: 12 (Feb. 5, 1921 to Dec. 10, 1927).
• Longest losing streak: eight (Feb. 17, 1998 to Jan. 30, 2002)
• Largest win: 49 points (W, 61-12) on Dec. 7, 1936, at U-M.
• Largest loss: 51 points (L, 114-63) on March 4, 2000, at MSU
• Most U-M points scored: 103, twice -- (W, 103-87) on Jan. 26, 1965, and (W, 103-98) on March 9, 1974, both in East Lansing
• Most Michigan State points scored: 114 (W, 114-63) on March 4, 2000, in East Lansing
• Series points: Michigan (11,358; 58.5 ppg) | Michigan State (11,027; 56.8 ppg)