Michigan–Michigan State basketball rivalry

Michigan–Michigan State basketball rivalry
Teams	Michigan Wolverines Michigan State Spartans
First meeting	January 9, 1909 Michigan Agricultural 24, Michigan 16
Last meeting	February 5, 2011 Michigan 70, Michigan State 63
Next meeting	January 17, 2012
Total meetings	167
Series record	Michigan: 93–74 (*86–71) Michigan State:
Current streak	2
Trophy	None
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Michigan–Michigan State basketball rivalry is a college basketball rivalry between Michigan Wolverines men's basketball and Michigan State Spartans men's basketball that is part of the larger intrastate rivalry between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University that exists across a broad spectrum of endeavors including their general athletic programs: Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans. In athletics the rivalry extends to a competition for recruits and resources. One result of the competition for recruits was the University of Michigan basketball scandal, which grew out of recruiting efforts for Mateen Cleaves. On the field, the athletic rivalry includes the Paul Bunyan Trophy and the Michigan–Michigan State ice hockey rivalry, but extends to almost all sports and many other forms of achievement. Both teams are members or the Big Ten Conference.

Michigan currently leads the series, which began on January 9, 1909, 93–74, but with sanction adjustments for things like the University of Michigan basketball scandal, the series is 86–71. Michigan holds a 57–28 edge at its home, while Michigan State holds a 46-36 at its home. The two teams have never played on a neutral court. They have played one game that did not count as a conference game in 1998.^[1] The teams are scheduled to play at least twice during the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The teams will meet at least twice during the 2011–12 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season.^[2] The last time that these schools did not meet twice in a season was during the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.^[1]

Despite the intense rivalry for basketball recruits and resources and the intesity of the rivalry in other sports, the rivalry has not been intense on the basketball court. Michigan has been unranked as it entered the last 22 meetings in this rivalry. The two teams have only played 6 times when both teams were ranked, and never have both teams been ranked top 10. Of the 8 conference opponents that have been members of the Big Ten Conference since 1950 when Michigan State joined, it has only played fewer meaningful games against Wisconsin, Northwestern and Ohio State.^[1]

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Michigan Men's Basketball History: History & Records (Through 2010-11 season): All-Time Series Records". CBS Interactive. http://www.mgoblue.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mich/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/bkm-series-records. Retrieved 2011-11-17. 
2. ^ "2011-12 Michigan Men's Basketball Schedule". CBS Interactive. http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/sched/mich-m-baskbl-sched.html. Retrieved 2011-11-19.