ANN ARBOR — Michigan and Michigan State won’t play each other for more than a month, but with both teams 5-0 in the Big Ten and tied atop the league standings interest in the in-state programs is heating up.
Michigan head coach Dusty May was asked about the rivalry on Monday. As a student manager and later an administrative assistant at Indiana, he is very familiar with the Big Ten landscape. In his first year at Michigan, though, he’s new to this rivalry.
“Hundred percent,” May said when asked if he pays attention to Michigan State. “(We) keep an eye on everyone in the Big Ten. Obviously we bump into them in recruiting. We hear about them a lot. And they’re obviously playing at a high, high level right now so we’re going to hear about them more.”
Michigan (13-3) has won five straight, all by double digits, including a road sweep of USC and UCLA and Sunday’s 91-75 home win over Washington. The Wolverines are No. 24 in the AP Poll but figure to surge when the new one is released on Monday afternoon.
Michigan State (14-2) has won nine in a row under Tom Izzo, now in his 30th year on the job. The Spartans, ranked No. 16, clobbered Washington at home and won at Northwestern on Sunday (78-68) since the last poll came out.
Purdue is next in the Big Ten pecking order at 5-1, while every other team has at least two league losses.
“We think it’s better for college basketball when we’re both sitting at the top of the standings,” May said of Michigan and Michigan State. “As long as we’re up there, we don’t really care where the Spartans are. But I think it adds more interest to the game. It’s good for the state of basketball in Michigan. It’s good for the young players to come to games where there’s such an environment. All those things are healthy.”
Michigan hosts the Spartans on Feb. 21, with the rematch in East Lansing set for the final day of the regular season, March 9.
The Wolverines visit Minnesota on Thursday. While the two Michigan schools playing well is an interesting story worth monitoring, if either side spends too much time worrying about those matchups they likely won’t be as significant by the time they’re actually played.
“If we’re thinking about Michigan State right now — we have so many games that we have to focus on,” May said. “(First) Minnesota and then turn the page to Northwestern and then turn the page to I think it’s Purdue after that. But all focus is on Minnesota right now.”
