Michigan State 75, Michigan 52
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Freshman Gary Harris had 17 points, including five 3-pointers, as Michigan State overwhelmed rival Michigan 75-52 at Breslin Center on Tuesday night.
This was the first time in the 170 games between the schools that both were ranked in the Top 10 but it wasn't close. No. 8 Michigan State (21-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten) never trailed while regaining sole possession of first place in the conference, a half-game in front of idle Indiana.
Derrick Nix contributed 14 points, Keith Appling had 11 and Branden Dawson added 10 for the Spartans, who have won four straight and 10 of their last 11 games. Michigan State is 14-0 at Breslin this season and has won 32 of their last 33 in the building.
Trey Burke's 18 points led No. 5 Michigan (21-4, 8-4), which has lost three of its last four games. Burke didn't get much assistance, as his teammates shot a combined 14 for 42 from the field.
Michigan State has won the last two meetings after losing three straight. The teams will play again in Ann Arbor on March 3.
Appling crushed the Wolverines' hopes of a comeback early in the second half. After a Burke three-point play pulled Michigan within 12, 41-29, Appling went on a personal 7-0 run.
He made a jumper while falling down, then drew an offensive foul against Burke. With Burke on the bench briefly, Appling made a foul-line jumper and a transition 3-pointer for a 48-29 lead with 16:30 remaining.
An inside basket by Nix nudged the Spartans' advantage to 21, 52-31. The onslaught continued as a Dawson putback, a Harris 3-pointer and an Adreian Payne jumper made it a 30-point game, 69-39.
Led by Nix, the Spartans dominated inside while taking a 38-24 halftime lead. Nix had 10 points as Michigan State outscored Michigan 24-8 in the paint.
Harris provided the outside threat, making three 3-pointers, and Dawson contributed eight points and two steals.
Michigan State used a 20-7 run to take its biggest lead of the half, 35-19. Dawson sent the capacity crowd into a frenzy with a steal and dunk and Nix's tip-in made it 26-15. Another Nix basket inched the advantage to 14, 31-17, and freshman Matt Costello bumped the lead with the first of his two inside baskets during the half.
Burke had 10 first-half points for the Wolverines but got no assistance from backcourt partner Tim Hardaway Jr., who missed all six of his field-goal attempts.
NOTES: There were only eight previous meetings where both teams were ranked in the Top 25. Michigan led the all-time series 94-75. ... Spartans backup point guard Travis Trice missed his third consecutive game with post-concussion symptoms. ... Michigan football coach Brady Hoke sat behind the visitors' bench and Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was also in attendance. ... Minnesota is the only team to out-rebound Michigan State this season. ... Burke is the first Big Ten player to average 17 points and seven assists since Magic Johnson in 1979. ... The Wolverines average 12 fouls per game, the fewest in the nation. ... Spartans coach Tom Izzo entered the game with a 19-11 record against Michigan, while counterpart John Beilein had a 3-5 mark against MSU.
