Michigan uses big second-half rally to beat Michigan State for first time since 2018 at Breslin Center

No. No. 3 Michigan made a statement on Friday with an 83-71 victory over No. 7 Michigan State, taking sole possession of first place in the Big Ten standings. The Wolverines posted a win over Nebraska – one of three undefeated teams in Division I basketball – before moving to 5-0 against AP Top 25 opponents with a win over their in-state rival.

The Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) have now won six straight games since dropping their only game of the season to Wisconsin earlier this month. Michigan is now 7-0 against Quad 1 opponents, and 17 of its 21 wins have been by at least 10 points.

Michigan State (19-3, 9-2) entered the week 12-6 against Michigan, when both programs were ranked and had won seven of the last nine games against their in-state rival. The Wolverines have just three wins in their last 25 meetings while playing at the Breslin Center.

Friday marked Michigan’s first road win over MSU since 2018 in one of the most anticipated matchups in the No. 197 meeting between the programs.

Michigan star forward Yaxel Lendeborg led the charge by finishing with 26 points and 12 rebounds. The former UAB star recorded his fourth double-double of the season in the win, while fellow transfer guard Elliot Cadeau scored nine of his 17 points in the second half.

Mara remains one of the best additions to the transfer portal

Part of what made Michigan such a tough matchup last season was the lineup of two bigs, with Wolf and Goldin both starting in the frontcourt. May kept a similar style this season, with a front line of Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara who gives the opponents headaches.

A former top recruit in the 2023 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, Mara is averaging 2.6 blocks per game despite logging just 22.9 minutes per game. The former UCLA big man was underutilized during his time with the Bruins. Case and point? Mara logged at least 20 minutes in just 11 games combined during his two seasons with the program.

Under May at Michigan, Mara has become one of, if not the best defenders in college basketball. He shoots 68.9% from the field and is also one of the best outlet passers in the sport. Mara is one of the best additions to the sport’s transfer portal.

Mara finished with eight points, five rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes.

A story of two halves

Michigan State was a completely different team in the second half. The Spartans shot 7-of-26 in the first half (2-of-12 from the 3-point line), but the final twenty minutes were a different story. Michigan State knocked down 15 of 34 shots (44.1%) in the second half and erased the deficit.

It all started when MSU opened the second half with a 15-4 run. What hurt MSU, however, was its three-point shooting. As a team, Michigan State was just 4 of 23 from downtown. Michigan State took its first lead of the game with 7:27 remaining, but Michigan proceeded to knock down six of its next seven shots to regain the lead for good.

State of Michigan, per KenPom.comallows the lowest offensive rebound percentage (21.4) in the sport. The Spartans had allowed double-digit offensive rebounds just once on the night (against Arkansas). Michigan had eleven offensive rebounds, six of which came from Lendeborg.

When Michigan defeated Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last spring, the Wolverines were able to advance by beating the Aggies at their own game: on the offensive glass. Tonight was more of the same. Michigan created second-chance opportunities in the first half. The Wolverines outscored the Spartans 14-6 in second-chance points.

Michigan’s path to the Big Ten regular-season title

In CBS Sports’ latest Bracketology projections, Michigan remained a No. 1 seed alongside Duke, Arizona and Nebraska. With the NCAA Tournament less than two months away, the Wolverines still have time to add to their resume and potentially secure the No. 1 overall seed in the Big Dance.

After a win over Michigan State, the path to a Big Ten regular-season title is also clearer. Notable games in conference play the remainder of the season include a road game against Purdue, home games against UCLA and Michigan State and another road game against No. 9 Illinois. Another game on the schedule (which is obviously not part of conference play) is a game against Duke on February 21st. That match could have a big stakes as a resume builder for both teams.

Michigan’s last Big Ten regular-season title came in 2021. The Wolverines have captured the Big Ten regular-season title three times since the turn of the century. Michigan won the Big Ten tournament title last season and reached the Sweet 16 during Dusty May’s first season at the helm. It was one of the best year-over-year turnarounds in college basketball history.

This version of Michigan might be just as good as last year. That’s saying a lot after May rebuilt most of this roster through the transfer portal and high school recruiting. Michigan is a legitimate threat for the national title. The Wolverines have what it takes to be the last team standing in Indianapolis in April. This game was a great example of why.