Michigan 82, Michigan State 72
I'm going to try to write through the very real tears streaming down my face. I'm also cackling with glee.
MY HEART IS VERY FULL https://t.co/rCxGu8IK6w pic.twitter.com/MKZ5yxB1KM
— Ace Anbender (@AceAnbender) January 13, 2018
I know Brian already posted it. Moe Wagner giving Nick Ward a crippling case of the jelly-ankles cannot be posted enough.
Moritz Wagner kicks Nick Ward to the curb with a nasty ankle breaker! pic.twitter.com/3a44SktqJx
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) January 13, 2018
Teddy Valentine and Co. may have done their best to muck up an classic rivalry row, but between the endless whistles (51 combined fouls!) was some fantastic basketball. Michigan and Michigan State played a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to break the other. The lead changed hands 13 times and was knotted up 11 more; the margin didn't crack double digits either way until a Wagner free throw with 1:10 to go.
Wagner's ankle may not be at full health, but you'd never know it based on today's performance. Despite only playing 27 minutes before fouling out in the game's waning moments, he poured in a career-high 27 points, roasting whichever Spartan big man tried to defend him with a dizzying array of off-the-dribble moves for layups and pops out to the perimeter for three-point bombs.
Ward couldn't keep up, nor could he come close to matching Wagner's impact on offense, scoring just four points in 14 minutes. Jaren Jackson Jr. (and a host of others on both sides) also battled serious foul trouble, and MSU's vaunted defense could be driven on as a result. The Wolverines nearly matched the Spartans in points in the paint, 32-34, and more than made up that ground by hitting three more three-pointers. Remarkably, they also outrebounded MSU on the offensive end 11 to 8.
Wagner had plenty of help, too. Zavier Simpson dominated his matchup with fellow sophomore point guard Cassius Winston, outscoring him 16-to-11, dishing out five assists to Winston's two, and recording zero turnovers against his counterpart's four. Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Charles Matthews made up for poor performances from the field by combining to make 11-of-13 free throws. Isaiah Livers, who got his first career start, added six points in 25 energetic minutes. The man he replaced, Duncan Robinson, sunk his only triple from the corner and fought hard against brutally tough matchups.
Most importantly, the whole team gave a defensive performance that, given the context, is among the best single-game efforts in Beilein's tenure. Little came easy for the Spartans, who couldn't get anything going on the perimeter, making 3-of-12 threes, and instead had to rely on brute force. Michigan held up remarkably well against MSU's front line and forced 18 turnovers with an aggressive, varied approach.
In fact, if Michigan had made a few more layups in the first half or more free throws down the stretch, this could've been a downright comfortable win. Holding the Spartans at bay for a double-digit win will more than suffice, however.
By the end, Jordan Poole wanted to know where all the Spartans had gone.
Jordan Poole: “Huh? What? Where y’all went?” pic.twitter.com/qFOiKoVEri
— Mike Persak (@MikeDPersak) January 13, 2018
The Stauskas is strong with this team.
[Hit THE JUMP for the box score.]
Captions. pic.twitter.com/gWC1hJogKA
— Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) January 13, 2018
Izzo on Wagner celebrating on court, which he didn't like seeing. "He earned it. He's Scott Skiles - he talked it, he walked it."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 13, 2018
January 13th, 2018 at 5:19 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 5:47 PM ^
The Stauskas is strong in this team is the best summary. Most enjoyable post game recap in a long time.
January 13th, 2018 at 6:16 PM ^
I blatantly stole it from him after he said it in the mgo work chat.
January 14th, 2018 at 6:43 AM ^
As an aside, I fowarded your cfs stuff to the mother of a man, law school graduate but not practicing law at present, and she was very impressed. Your writing style, like Brian's, can be inspirational, and make a significant contribution. Well done.
January 13th, 2018 at 6:09 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 6:52 PM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 8:21 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 7:37 PM ^
we're terrific. They dominated the Michigan State guard's. Add the Big Germans performance it turned out to be too much for the home team at their place. Loved it. Make those free throws in the last two minutes and the final score is obviously much wider. Looked to me television Ted wasn't as bad as the other two.
January 13th, 2018 at 7:56 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 8:14 PM ^
Great win!!! Great defense and offense kept the game close till we pulled away at the end. (But, damn, make free throws!) So good to see we never had one of those long scoreless periods and end up in a double-digit hole.
Loved Wagner's snarl.
(Edit) Sooooo glad Livers got the start.
January 13th, 2018 at 8:29 PM ^
I'd like to think the last thing that went through his head, other than that bullet, was to wonder how the hell John Beilein ever got the best of him.
January 13th, 2018 at 9:04 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 9:59 PM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 6:32 AM ^
East Lansing Redemption
January 14th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
Did Izzo use his annual weird guys excuse again? Even though he has a truck load of 5 stars.
January 13th, 2018 at 10:30 PM ^
Apparently it was the "They have seniors and we have freshman" excuse.
January 13th, 2018 at 10:47 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 11:15 PM ^
Yep. And Mo is the only junior on the whole squad. We're a really young team.
January 14th, 2018 at 12:51 AM ^
Also Robinson and Simmons.
January 14th, 2018 at 12:20 PM ^
58% of U-M's minutes went to freshmen and sophomores. MSU's split was higher (76.5%) but it’s hardly like Michigan has a Purdue-level experience advantage.
January 14th, 2018 at 9:48 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 9:59 PM ^
January 13th, 2018 at 10:10 PM ^
was talking all week about how Lil Sister would be humiliated today. Apparently his account is broken because its completely silent now
January 13th, 2018 at 10:46 PM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 12:52 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 3:16 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 6:26 AM ^
Without a doubt there is something that can be applied in that fashion.
Beyond the rule, no real competitor would engage in this kind of whiny-ass poor sportmanship, except...
January 14th, 2018 at 8:41 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 6:23 AM ^
My first guess would be you.
January 14th, 2018 at 12:59 AM ^
Legit good team - GO BLUE
January 14th, 2018 at 3:12 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 8:39 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 1:31 PM ^
Losing with Dignity.
edit:
Defeated with Dignity.
January 14th, 2018 at 7:12 PM ^
Life is good
January 15th, 2018 at 12:54 AM ^
AMAZING WIN!!!
My friend and I (both Michigan alums) live in LA and spent the weekend up in Death Valley National Park (incredible place to hike, sightsee and visit, in the wintertime at least).
We were driving in during most of the game and watching gamecast, but we lost cell service/date with about 6 minutes to go. Literally went EIGHT hours without knowing what happened (we were up by 6, last we knew), hiking and exploring but every few minutes checking to see if service came in (it did not).
When we finally got to the hotel (wifi) in rural Stovepipe Wells, we jumped around for a few minutes straight.
This team is special; Go Blue!!!
January 15th, 2018 at 8:02 AM ^
January 15th, 2018 at 8:02 AM ^
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