“Michigan’s a good team, it was going to be a battle of toughness and possessions, and I thought our kids competed really well,” MSU head coach Robyn Fralick said following the loss. “There’s a few possessions that we’re going to learn a lot from.”

Round one was arguably the biggest game of the season for both teams, as each sat firmly in the hunt for the Big Ten regular-season title. Michigan entered at 9-1 in conference play, with MSU just behind at 8-2.

Looking back, the game has set the tone for what followed. Michigan has gone 2-1 since the matchup, with its lone loss coming in a narrow 69-66 battle against No. 2 UCLA.

On the other hand, the Spartans have dropped two of their last three games while navigating a difficult February stretch that includes four ranked opponents. MSU fell to No. 20 Maryland and UCLA, with its lone win coming on the road against Penn State.

Regardless, round two still carries major implications. Sunday’s matchup will mark just the second top-15 meeting between the rivals, with MSU checking in at No. 13 and Michigan at No. 7.

After the loss to UCLA, the Spartans were eliminated from contention for the Big Ten regular-season crown, but there is still plenty at stake. The remaining games will determine conference tournament seeding and, more importantly, NCAA Tournament positioning. If MSU finishes strong and secures at least a No. 4 seed, it would host the first two rounds and gain a valuable home-court advantage.

Michigan will also look to stack wins to bolster its seeding in both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. The difference is the Wolverines remain in the regular-season title race, though they’ll need help. Michigan currently sits second in the conference at 12-2, two games behind unbeaten UCLA.

As with the first meeting, Sunday’s game carries weight for both teams, but it may mean a bit more for MSU. A win would not only avoid a season sweep at the hands of its rival, but also help the Spartans regain momentum after dropping their last four games against ranked opponents.

When a game ends 94–91 in overtime, the margin can be razor-thin. Still, one area MSU can improve from the first matchup is playing from ahead rather than repeatedly digging out of eight-point deficits. Another question mark is the availability of junior guard Rashunda Jones, who exited late in the fourth quarter Wednesday after injuring her back.

“From games like this you lose or you learn,” Fralick said after Wednesday’s contest. “In our league there’s no time to blink, there’s no time to worry, there’s no time to feel sorry for yourself, because there’s another really good team coming.”

The rivalry rematch is set for 4 p.m. Sunday at Crisler Center, where the Spartans (20-5, 9-5 Big Ten) will look to secure a win against Michigan (21-4, 12-2 Big Ten) that could help define the final stretch of their season.