Ann Arbor — Earlier this week, the MSU men's basketball team admitted some concern that Michigan would have an added urgency for Tuesday's game because the stakes were higher for the Wolverines. Its postseason status is in jeopardy, it has four underachieving seniors still trying to make a mark and its coach is constantly defending his job status.
The box score — and the 67-56 U-M win — supported MSU's fear.
The Wolverines (20-10 overall, 8-7 Big Ten) led in most of the hustle categories, including points off turnovers (13-6), free-throw attempts (33-15) and shots in the paint (22-11), and got to several loose balls that didn't show up on the stat sheet.
"This obviously was a significant game for us," U-M head coach Tommy Amaker said. "It's a game where people were saying we had to have this game for our NCAA hopes to continue. Certainly the rivalry, the chance to get 20 wins — there were a lot of things to play out."
Added MSU head coach Tom Izzo: "They played like a team that needed a win."
One-man show
In familiar fashion, guard Dion Harris was the straw that stirred the Wolverines' drink. The former Michigan's Mr. Basketball had a game-high 24 points, including a deep, momentum-shifting 3-pointer just before halftime.
Since scoring a single point in a loss to Iowa on Jan. 31, Harris has scored 13 points or more in six of seven games. He has been the Wolverines' leading scorer in each of their last six contests.
"I think you see a renewed spirit out of that man," Amaker said.
Although he only had two assists, Harris also served as a makeshift playmaker. He was the only Wolverine consistently breaking down the defense off the dribble and opening up shots for his teammates. Several of Harris' drives came on junior guard Drew Neitzel, who gives up 3 inches and 25 pounds to Harris, and was ailing with an upper respiratory infection.
"This is going to sound crazy, but I wasn't as worried about the points (Neitzel) would miss — I was worried about his defense," Izzo said. "When people penetrate, it throws everybody else off."
Out with a whimper
MSU (21-9, 8-7) missed its last eight shots and didn't score in the final 5:09 as U-M closed on an 8-0 run.
"We had our chances," Izzo said. "We couldn't get a basket down the stretch."
The final minutes are usually Neitzel's time to shine, but the MSU seemed unsure how much gas he had left in the tank. He took only one shot during that drought — a 3-pointer that missed everything.
"We had some open looks, but at that point, you want Drew or some shooter taking the shots," sophomore center Goran Suton said. "I didn't think we executed very well the last five minutes."
With U-M expanding its lead by the possession, the lack of a dependable No. 1 scoring option proved too costly for the Spartans.
