By MIKE McCURRY
NEW YORK—Michigan’s resounding 77-58 victory over Nebraska on Friday at Madison Square Garden all but sealed the Cornhuskers’ NIT fate.
It also set up a heavyweight Big Ten Tournament semifinal at 2 PM ET on Saturday (CBS), when the defending champion Wolverines have a date with in-state rival Michigan State.
After the Spartans took care of business against Wisconsin, 63-60, earlier in the afternoon, the thought of avenging an 82-72 home setback at the hands of Michigan back on January 13 began to marinate in the minds of Michigan State players, notably Cassius Winston.
“If we play Michigan, it’s going to be a big rival game for the tournament to move on to the championship, but that’s the type of game you live for,” Winston said.
“Like I said, if Michigan wins this game, we end up playing them, I definitely won’t be disappointed to get another opportunity to go out there,” the sophomore continued. “And I definitely myself got an opportunity to go out there and play against them. I dropped the ball the last game.”
Indeed, he did. Winston was thoroughly outplayed at the point guard spot by Xavier Simpson in that first meeting, registering a season-low two assists while committing four turnovers and posting a 90 Offensive Rating.
Simpson, meantime, went for a career-high tying 16 points plus five assists—he logged 30 minutes of turnover-free hoops.
The best player on the court in said contest was Moe Wagner. Michigan’s 6-foot-11 stretch-five broke out for a career-high 27 points. He shot 8-of-13 from the field and knocked down 3-of-4 three-pointers despite two variables working against him: a bum ankle and, much more despairingly, the best defensive frontcourt in the country checking him in Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Nick Ward.
“I think that day I think things just worked out that way—our offense, kind of pick your poison a little bit,” said Wagner, who posted 20 points and a career-high 13 rebounds against Nebraska. “And it was my day that day.”
You have to respect @moritz_weasley's shot.
That being the case, a pump fake can lead to a @umichbball highlight finish.
Like, for example, this:#B1GTourney x @LibmanCompany pic.twitter.com/68rDh3ZoKt
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 2, 2018
Still, the ever-demonstrative and emotional Wagner was quick to point out that the events that transpired in Michigan-Michigan State Part I will have little to no effect in the March 3 rematch.
“We’re playing in the semifinals for a Big Ten Championship,” Wagner said. “And January 13 or whatever it was doesn’t mean anything for tomorrow.”
All Michigan State has done since is win 13 consecutive games, at long last firing on all cylinders while a dark cloud concurrently set up shop above campus and the program in light of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal and additional unrelated allegations directed at Tom Izzo.
Plenty will be on the line come Saturday. Michigan State is eyeing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans are also looking to snap a two-game losing streak versus their in-state rival—suffice it to say, they haven’t yet forgotten about Michigan 86, Michigan 57 last February in Ann Arbor. And, what else, Miles Bridges and Duncan Robinson?
“But if we play Michigan, it will be more of a pride thing as well,” said Bridges, who led the way on Friday with 20 points and 9 boards.
“Obviously at the same time it’s an in-state rival, we have a lot of pride and we’re going to come out and compete,” said Robinson.
There’s no greater venue for the rematch to occur at than at the mecca.
Photo: @MSU_Basketball
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