Historically, the rivalry has been dominated by the Spartans, who lead the all-time series 76–26, but the gap has narrowed in recent years. Since 2020, the Wolverines have won seven of the last 11 matchups. Three of Michigan State’s four wins during that stretch have come under head coach Robyn Fralick, who has quickly gotten the program back on track, losing to Michigan just once in her first two seasons.

When comparing both teams and their seasons so far, they are nearly identical. The Spartans sit at 19-2 overall and 8-2 in Big Ten play, while the Wolverines are 18-3 overall and 9-1 in conference action, as both teams remain firmly in the Big Ten race entering the final two months of the regular season.

Neither team is a stranger to high-stakes matchups. Michigan State owns three ranked wins, while Michigan has two. The Wolverines have also played one of the nation’s toughest schedules, already facing two top-five teams in UConn and Vanderbilt.

The similarities extend beyond records, as the numbers on both ends of the floor are nearly identical. Michigan averages 87.5 points per game to MSU’s 86, while both teams hold opponents to 60 points per game and force more than 20 turnovers, turning those mistakes into nearly 26 points per contest.

The biggest matchup to watch is in the backcourt. Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Blair and junior Rashunda Jones lead the Spartans against Michigan’s sophomore duo of Olivia Olson and Syla Swords, the Wolverines’ top two scorers. Blair and Jones rank second and third on Michigan State in scoring and set the pace offensively, especially after forcing turnovers.

All in all, the first-ever top-15 matchup between in-state rivals is set to be a battle that could go either way. The game is scheduled to tip off Sunday at noon inside Breslin Center, with both teams looking to stay in the Big Ten title race.