Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

TV: CBS.

Radio: Spartans Sports Network; 94.9 WMMQ-FM (Lansing).

Line: TBD

It's a rivalry game, for sure, but the Spartans won't be focusing much on the hostile atmosphere or the emotions of their on-floor counterparts.

Instead, MSU will set its sights at the implications Sunday's game will carry — a bout between two teams at the top of the conference, with the winner the likely favorite to secure the regular season title.

"It's another game in search of a Big Ten Championship," redshirt senior Kenny Goins said. "We're excited for this time of year to really try and reach the highest peak that we can."

Of the things done best by the Wolverines, they're tied first in the conference with a +3.5 turnover margin, forcing an average of 12.7 per. The Spartans, on the other hand, turn it over on average of 13.3 times per game, ranking 13th in that respect.

"I think if there's a major plus for them, they don't turn the ball over much," MSU coach Tom Izzo said. "If there's a major negative for us, we do turn the ball over too much."

Junior Cassius Winston is MSU's leading scorer at 18.9 points and leads the Big Ten with 7.4 assists a game. Winston, one of the early favorites for the Big Ten Player of the Year Award, is the Spartans' only  player averaging double figures since Nick Ward (15.1) will likely miss the remainder of the regular season after suffering a hairline fracture in his left hand on Feb. 17.

Michigan features three starters in who average double figures, led by potential Big Ten Freshman of the Year Ignas Brazdeikis (14.4). Jordan Poole and Charles Matthews are also averaging 13.1 each. 

The Spartans are 1-3 dating back to Winston's freshman season and are winless at the Crisler Center. The Detroit native and former U-M target is hoping that changes come Sunday night.

"It's one of the two arenas I haven't won yet in the Big Ten," said Winston, who's 1-3 against the Wolverines. "So I want to cross that one off the list."

Along with Ward, redshirt junior Kyle Ahrens (back) is questionable for Sunday after aggravating his injury in MSU's 71-60 win over Rutgers on Saturday. As of Friday, none of U-M's roster was dealing with a significant injury.

Players on both sides know the implications of Sunday — aside from the regular season title, the matchup will also affect top seeding for the Big Ten Tournament and potentially the NCAA Tournament. Each team was listed as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA's early bracket reveal earlier this month.

"Of course, we don't really like each other, but we do respect them," McQuaid said. "They're a good team, lot of good players on that team. So it's going to be a good game."

Sunday marks the third time MSU and U-M play as top 10 teams in the AP Poll. The other two came in 2012-13, when the teams split and the Wolverines finished national runner-up.

Win or lose, Izzo said he's glad the rivalry has taken on more than just football. But the longtime coach also said it has a long ways to go becomes an annual marquis matchup.

"Any rivalry has got to be competitive," Izzo said. "And I think when you look at the accomplishments in the last 10 years of both teams, you know, we're not Duke-(North) Carolina yet, but maybe we're growing towards it. And that's what makes it fun."

Predictions:

Casey Harrison: U-M  72, MSU 65

Chase Michaelson: U-M 62, MSU 54