If senior guard Kelvin Torbert has to pick one game to win all year, it'd be against Michigan.
Sure, he wants to beat No. 1 Illinois or No. 19 Wisconsin, but the intrastate rivalry runs so deep in the Flint native's blood that beating the Wolverines is a must.
"Being an in-state kid, five years from now all you're going to hear about is the Michigan game," Torbert said.
Torbert has lots to talk about so far, as his senior group of teammates have a 5-1 record against the Wolverines.
Torbert knows that even though U-M is under the radar, it did beat No. 23 Iowa on the road and will bring the extra effort.
MSU head coach Tom Izzo's approach used to be the same as Torbert, but it's changed through the years. He can't forget losing his first five games against the Wolverines. But since, Izzo has won 10 of 11 games.
"Would I rather beat Michigan or win the Big Ten?" Izzo said. "There was a day when I'd rather beat Michigan. Now I'd rather win the Big Ten ... but now I know you probably have to beat Michigan to win the Big Ten."
Izzo even cheered for the Wolverines in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge against Georgia Tech, a big change from Izzo's early days and when Jud Heathcote was coaching MSU.
U-M (12-7 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) started the season with the best lineup to beat MSU (12-3, 4-1) in seven years, but due to injuries, the Wolverines haven't filled a full lineup all season.
And now the Wolverines top two scorers from last year are out - forward Lester Abram is out for the season with a shoulder injury and guard Daniel Horton is suspended due to charges he's facing for allegedly choking his girlfriend.
Izzo wants the newly expanded Izzone to be "clean and nasty," but asked the student section to keep the taunting to on-court issues to avoid chants involving Horton's recent legal troubles.
But don't think Izzo is getting soft in the rivalry.
"I don't love Michigan," Izzo said. "That's illegal, and I keep saying that. But I respect them, and I appreciate what they've gone through."
MSU junior center Paul Davis didn't practice on Wednesday after hurting his left ankle in practice Sunday. He said he's day-to-day.
