With a crowd of media surrounding him near his locker late Tuesday night, Derrick Nix was asked a question he knew was coming. Given the events that had just transpired, it was inevitable.
“How great can you guys be?”
Column: Men's basketball played as great as they wanted to in win over Michigan
Senior center Derrick Nix high-fives Izzone members at the conclusion of the game against rival Michigan. MSU defeated U-M, 75-52, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, at Breslin Center. Justin Wan/The State News
Despite the No. 8 MSU basketball team having 20 wins coming into this week’s hardwood showdown with No. 4 Michigan, it’s a question that’s generated many different answers this season.
But without missing a beat, the senior center looked up and responded with a confident smile.
“As great as we want to be.”
After flying under the radar for much of the season, the Spartans sent a strong message in a victory over Michigan on Tuesday at Breslin Center. But not only did MSU (21-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten) defeat the Wolverines(21-4, 8-4) in the first ever top 10 matchup between the two in-state rivals; they absolutely undressed them all evening to take the first game of the season series, 75-52.
For one night, the Spartans were as great as they wanted to be. And they certainly proved they’re a better team than anyone expected.
Nix was virtually unstoppable in the paint, backing down all that came within a five-foot radius of him. Freshman guard Gary Harris seemingly couldn’t miss from beyond the arc. Sophomore forward/guard Branden Dawson regained his natural athleticism in a flash, highlighted by a first half breakaway two-handed dunk to ignite the raucous sea of white shirts in the Izzone. Even seldom-used freshman forward Matt Costello got in on the action, finishing with a career high eight points and six rebounds.
After an opening jumper by Dawson, the Spartans never surrendered the lead, at one point pulling out ahead of their rival by 31 points late in the second half.
Thirty one points against a team widely considered among the nation’s best. Thirty one points.
It was a night MSU head coach Tom Izzo had long been waiting for.
“The thing I said to you of why this team can get to be good a couple weeks ago, we got an inside (game), we got an outside (game),” Izzo said. “We probably played as good a game as we can play tonight and that says a lot.”
The Spartans controlled the pace from the opening tip, forcing the Wolverines to look down the bench for answers. Other than Michigan guard Trey Burke asserting his usual dominance, garnering 18 points on 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) shooting, the Wolverines held a scuffling 39.6 shooting percentage from the field.
Glenn Robinson III and Tim Hardaway Jr. combined for four total points, while the Spartans had seven players with at least four points, four of which finished in double figures for the game.
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On the inside, MSU outrebounded U-M 41-30, which includes a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass, led by the unlikely duo of freshman guard Denzel Valentine (nine) and junior guard Keith Appling (seven).
To make matters worse, the Wolverines turned the ball over 16 times, struggling to make in impact in front of notable University of Michigan dignitaries including current and former U-M head football coaches Brady Hoke and Lloyd Carr, athletic director Dave Brandon and Gov. Rick Snyder.
It was even ugly enough for Snyder to stand up and leave with a little less than four minutes to play, signaling all but the end in a lopsided affair for the Wolverines.
“Michigan State, as you saw today really has an excellent team; I’ve believed that all year long,” U-M head coach John Beilein said. “They really played like that today. That was the worst we
played in a long, long time and credit Michigan State for that.”
The Spartans now hold sole possession of first place in the Big Ten while U-M falls to fourth with six games to play. However, this isn’t the end for the two bitter rivals.
With the rematch scheduled for March 3 at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan has a shot at redemption and you can expect a stronger showing of them in front of the Maize Rage. After all,
it wasn’t that long ago when this team was ranked No. 1 in the country and widely considered a Final Four contender.
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Most teams have an off night here or there – even the ones wearing a constant reminder on their warmup shirts indicating otherwise. “We On”? Not this time.
For one night at least, the Spartans were as great as they wanted to be. But for a team with NCAA title dreams, greatness still is only as important as the next night’s game.
Dillon Davis is a State News men’s basketball reporter. He can be reached at davisdi4@msu.edu.
