Michigan State vs Michigan at Crisler Arena in showdown

In the biggest game of the year at the new Crisler Arena #9 ranked Michigan State Spartans would take on the #20 ranked University of Michigan on ESPN.  Earlier in the day ESPN's Dick Vitale ranked the Big Ten Conference the #1 conference in the country.  With a sold out crowd working into their seats at the new renovated Crisler Arena the excitement was in the air.   The Maize and Rage student section was out in full force to give the Spartans a hard time. 

The Wolverines started the game strong jumping out to a 13-4 lead right off the bat.  This would get MSU head coach Tom Izzo even more fired up on his teams play.  The game would be the talk of the sports talk shows for the last three days with both teams losing Big Ten contests on Saturday.  Michigan had beaten MSU in both games last year and was looking to improve its already great start.   MSU came into the game with a 15-3 record.

Saginaw's Draymond Green would play a very steady game for the Spartans as he has done all season long.  The unofficial captain of the team kept MSU close going into the halftime only down by 7 points 36 - 29.   The real stars of the game were underclassmen on both teams.  Freshman Trey Burke would lead the Wolverines with 20 points and got a big rebound as the game was winding down and dished it to Stu Douglass for winning layup.

MSU's Keith Appling would lead the Spartans through out the game with his scoring and passing.   He several times broke down the Michigan defense to get an easy bucket.   However MSU would get the ball for the final 37 seconds and trailing 60-59.  They basically could take the last shot of the game.   Michigan stepped up the defense and knocked the ball loose with about 9 seconds left.   Draymond Green recovered the ball and drove the lane stopping and taking a jump shot at the free throw line that clanked of the rim as time ran out for this game.  

This gave the loudest crowd that I ever heard something to storm the court with a 60-59 victory over MSU.  The win puts Michigan in the drivers seat for the time being.  They now travel to Arkansas to play the Razorbacks in a big non-conference game this Saturday.   MSU now has to get things straightened out and play Purdue next.    By no means is the Big Ten season finished.   I see both of these teams being selected for the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.