Michigan
20-1,10-1Big Ten
Michigan State
19-3,9-2Big Ten
Wolverines Stifle Second-Half Spartan Comeback to Win Battle at Breslin
1/30/2026 11:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The third-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team defeated No. 7 Michigan State 83-71 on Friday night at the Breslin Center. U-M led for nearly 37 minutes and trailed for just 24 seconds. After leading by as many as 18 points late in the first half, the Spartans fought back early in the second. Despite the surge, the Wolverines picked up their first win at Breslin since Jan. 13, 2018.
Leaders and Best
Yaxel Lendeborg earned his fourth double-double of the season in a team-high 34 minutes. He finished with 26 points, 13 coming at the free-throw line, and 12 rebounds. Elliot Cadeau added another 17 points, along with three rebounds and six assists. Morez Johnson Jr. scored 12 points, contributing four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks. Trey McKenney was the final double-digit scorer, adding 10 points with two three-pointers on the night.
Turning Point
With 3:29 remaining in regulation and Michigan holding a 66-63 lead, the rebound off a missed MSU three-pointer was corralled by Cadeau, who slowed down the offense on his trip up the court. He used a screen, created separation at the right wing, and drilled a three-pointer to give Michigan a 69-63 lead, forcing an MSU timeout with 3:05 left in the game.
Second Half
The Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) came up empty on their first three possessions before the Cadeau-to-Aday Mara connection came through for the first U-M score of the half. Lendeborg blocked a Spartan three-pointer and got the dunk himself on the other end, but it did not take long for Michigan State to rally. MSU went on a 9-0 run in under two minutes, leaving Michigan up 46-41 with 15:07 to play.
McKenney came out of the timeout with a jumper to surpass the double-digit scoring mark, but MSU's streak of five makes in six attempts, in conjunction with a two-minute scoring drought for Michigan, brought it back to a one-possession game, 48-45, with 13:11 to play. The lead was the closest the score had been since the 17:32 mark in the first half. McKenney was then called for a flagrant foul, and MSU made both free throws. Michigan State (19-3, 9-2 Big Ten) continued to fight and tied the game up at 55 off a three-pointer with 7:57 to go.
U-M had the chance to retake the lead out of the media timeout, but MSU capitalized on two Michigan misses and a turnover to take its first lead of the game, 57-55, with 7:27 left. Both teams were in the bonus with 5:40 remaining and plenty of foul trouble on both sides. Michigan scored on two trips down the court, once from a Cadeau turnaround floater and the second by a Johnson dunk. An MSU bucket separated the Michigan scores, and the game remained a three-point game, 66-63, with 4:00 to go.
Cadeau used a screen to make a three-pointer for Michigan's third straight score and forced an MSU timeout with 3:08 to go. The Maize and Blue scored back-to-back baskets and built a 73-65 advantage before a timeout with 1:09 on the clock. MSU began to foul. A pair of Lendeborg free throws pushed the U-M lead to 10 points for the first time since the 16:39 mark of the second half. The Wolverines attempted and made 10 free throws, with six from Lendeborg, to seal the win -- Michigan's first in East Lansing after dropping its last four there.
First Half
The Wolverines opened the game on a 10-2 run over the first five minutes of the contest, keyed by an 8-0 run after MSU tied the game at two with 18:33 on the first-half clock. A Spartan's three-pointer cut the U-M lead to five, but the Maize and Blue went on a 5-0 spurt over the next 2:07 to grab a 15-5 lead. Headed into the second media timeout with 11:34 remaining, the Michigan defense allowed Michigan State to miss 10 of its last 11 shots, including a stretch of six straight leading up to the timeout.
After a McKenney triple from the left side, Michigan hit just two of its next seven shot attempts, capped by a full-court pass from Mara to Johnson for a slam. MSU made field goals on three of its next seven possessions during the Wolverines' cold streak and, with the assistance of free throws, brought the game within five points, 24-19, with 4:50 to go.
Dusty May used his challenge after Lendeborg was called for a foul with 2:30 to go. His challenge was successful, as a Spartan was instead assessed a flagant foul. Lendeborg connected on the pair of free throws, and was responsible for the next three points after an and-one play. McKenney got hot and hit his second triple of the night from the left corner, forcing a Michigan State timeout and brought the lead to 37-22 with under two minutes to go in the first half. The Spartans were called for a second flagrant foul in under two minutes, and the free throw capped an 11-1 Wolverine run, ending with 36 seconds left in the first half. U-M ended the half with two made free throws from Will Tschetter and a lead of 42-26.
What's Next
The Wolverines will begin February back at Crisler Center at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday (Feb. 5) against Penn State. The game will be broadcast live ofn FS1.
Notes
• Michigan's win marks the first time the Wolverines have defeated consecutive opponents ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press poll since taking down No. 6 North Carolina and No. 8 Gonzaga at the Battle for Atlantis from Nov. 28-29, 2019.
Tonight's win is also the first time since Jan. 18-25, 2014, that U-M has won consecutive games against AP top-10-ranked conference opponents. During that stretch, the Wolverines defeated No. 3 Wisconsin (Jan. 18), No. 10 Iowa (Jan. 22) and No. 3 Michigan State (Jan. 25).
• The victory also marks the first road win against an AP top-10 team since Feb. 21, 2021, when U-M beat No. 4 Ohio State 92-87.
• Friday win was Michigan's first when both teams were ranked in the AP top 10 since March 3, 2013, when No. 4 Michigan outlasted No. 9 Michigan State 58-57. There have been just five matchups in series history with both in the top 10.
• Michigan's 20-1 start matches the 2012-13 and 2018-19 teams for the best starts in program history. U-M has a chance to earn the best start through 22 games on Thursday night.
• McKenney's 10 points do not represent the first time he has scored in double digits at the Breslin Center. In his junior year of high school, he had back-to-back double-doubles en route to a state championship, combining for 52 points and 21 rebounds. He also had 21 points and seven rebounds in the state semifinal as a senior.
• The U-M defense held MSU to just 26 points in the first half, its lowest total in an opening half this season.
• Lendeborg's double-double is the 49th of his Division I career.
