Coming out on top of its in-state rival in a collective team effort, MSU (22-3 overall, 10-2 Big Ten) controlled the game against the Wolverines (14-10, 7-5), winning, 69-56.

“Now I think we have a good rhythm and a flow, and people know what their roles are,” head coach Suzy Merchant said. “I think we’re a team that has a lot of versatility, and we have the ability to call different people’s numbers.”

Leading the way for the Spartans, Keane posted 18 points and junior forward Taylor Alton added 16, her career high.

Junior forward Lykendra Johnson recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds for MSU. Senior guard Brittney Thomas followed up with 10 points as the fourth Spartan to score in double digits.

Edging U-M, the Spartans shot 43.1 percent from the field, compared to the Wolverines’ 40.5 percent.

“When you have three, four (or) five players who can score in the double digits, what’s your game plan?” Thomas said. “You can’t leave a person open on our floor because they’re going to make that opportunity, so I think it just makes it very difficult for teams to scout and guard us.”

With 38 rebounds in the half next to the Wolverines’ 25 — 19 and 15 in the first half, respectively — MSU always seemed to be one step ahead. Giving her team a momentum boost going into halftime, Keane took a quick pass from sophomore guard Jasmine Thomas for a 3-pointer to put the Spartans ahead, 34-24, before the break.

The ball hit the rim and bounced straight up before falling directly down through the net.

“It was exciting,” Keane said. “The crowd really erupted, but I think it gave us a good momentum push going into the second half (and) putting us up by 10.”

Starting the second half with a 10-point lead, MSU broke away, pushing its lead up to 19 points at 47-28 with less than five minutes into the half. Although the Wolverines were able to close the gap and get within eight points twice, Merchant said it was her team’s athleticism that separated the teams.

Getting seven of her 12 rebounds in the second half, Johnson stood tall on the glass to consistently rebound missed shot after missed shot.

With senior forward Cetera Washington grabbing eight rebounds, finishing second on the team, she and Johnson proved too much for the tired Wolverines to handle.

“Their strength — we could not contend with their strength,” U-M head coach Kevin Borseth said. “They’re very strong … (and) they move you where they want to move you.”

Despite guards Courtney Boylan and Jenny Ryan coming up big for U-M with 11 points each, the Spartans didn’t just hold on, but they tirelessly pushed the pace until the buzzer.

The team made history with a sold-out crowd for the first time at Breslin for a women’s game; history that Merchant said made it a special day for everyone because it shows how much support there is for her advancing program.

“I think it’s a rewarding say for a lot of people from our president, our administration, our players, myself,” Merchant said. “I think the fans probably feel pretty good about what they did today against our arch rival and setting an attendance record.”