ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan State traveled to Ann Arbor looking to complete the season sweep against the Michigan Wolverines in the 100th matchup between the in-state rivals.
MSU graduate student Mo Joiner made the game-sealing jump shot to secure a 70-66 victory for the Spartans.
Both squads traded 13-0 streaks in the third quarter.
“It was a game of runs both ways,” said Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick.
The Wolverines started red-hot from three-point range, connecting on their first five. MSU had no answers early, finding themselves down 19-10 halfway through the first quarter.
After an MSU timeout, the Spartans’ defense settled in, holding Michigan to 11 points the rest of the half.
The Michigan State full-court press was in full effect in the second half. MSU forced the Wolverines into six turnovers in the final four minutes of the third quarter.
“We like our team’s speed, that’s something we feel is an advantage for us,” said Fralick. “That’s something we really bought into this season and who we are and I think it got us back using [the press].”
Graduate student Tory Ozment came up big for the Spartans off the bench, recording a team-high 16 points.
Ozment was a freshman the last time the Spartans swept the Wolverines in the season series in 2019.
“It’s been fun, but it’s been a long time since we swept them so to start my career like that and end it like that is kind of special,” said Ozment.
The fourth quarter was intense basketball, both teams could feel in reach of a big win over an in-state rival. Fralick understood the magnitude of such a big matchup.
“I grew up in Michigan so I was literally born into the rivalry,” said Fralick.
MSU is back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 21 against Purdue Boilermakers at the Breslin Center at 7 p.m.
