EAST LANSING, Mich. — It was a fistfight, perhaps fitting in a Michigan-Michigan State rivalry that has seen its share of animosity and emotion over the past year.
In the end, it was the home team that was able to throw the knockout blow on Saturday afternoon, the Spartans getting a bucket in the lane from A.J. Hoggard with just more than a minute to play, then put the game away at the free-throw line, knocking off Michigan, 59-53, at Breslin Center.
Malik Hall, in his most extensive playing time since returning from a foot injury that forced him to miss eight games, scored 15 for Michigan State (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten) while Hoggard had 15 and six assists. Tyson Walker added 14 as Michigan State beat Michigan for the third time in the last four meetings.
Hunter Dickinson scored 18 for Michigan but was held to four points in the first half. Kobe Bufkin added 15 points for the Wolverines (9-6, 3-1) while Jett Howard chipped in 10 as Michigan was just 3 for 20 from 3-point range.
The win was the sixth straight for the Spartans and the first Big Ten loss for the Wolverines.
The first half was more of a slugfest than a basketball game as neither team could get into an offensive rhythm. Michigan State made only one of its first nine shots and turned the ball over five times in the process while Michigan wasn't much better, opening 2-for-10 and making only one 3-pointer on nine attempts for the entire first half.
The Spartans did manage to break out of the slump and go on a 9-0 run, capped by a Jaden Akins 3-pointer to take a 12-7 lead. But the Wolverines scored the next five to tie the score when Dickinson scored on a layup.
After trading buckets, Hall hit a layup and a 3-pointer while Hoggard hit a pair of free throws to put Michigan State up, 21-14. After a Tarris Reed layup, Joey Hauser made a 3-pointer and Akins split a pair of free throws to make it 25-16 in favor of Michigan State.
Bufkin got a pair of free throws for the Wolverines and Hall closed things with two of his own after getting fouled in the final seconds and rolling his left ankle, the same foot that kept him out eight games this season
Michigan State scored the first five of the second half, leading to a quick Michigan timeout. Dickinson got two quick buckets, but the Spartans got back-to-back baskets from Hoggard and Walker to take a 36-23 lead with 15:23 to play.
The Spartans extended the lead to 42-28 with 8:58 to play on a Hoggard jumper, but Michigan scored the next four, then got a Dickinson layup after a bucket by Walker. On the play, Carson Cooper was called for the flop and a free throw from Bufkin pulled the Wolverines within 44-35 with 6:53 left.
A Walker 3-pointer put Michigan State back up by 10, but the Wolverines got back-to-back layups from Dickinson and Bufkin to pull within 47-41 with 4:23 to play. A Hall jumper ended Michigan State's drought and Hauser put back his own miss to give the Spartans a 51-44 lead with 1:42 left.
The Wolverines made it interesting with a Dickinson 3-pointer to pull within four with 12 seconds left, but the comeback bid ended from there.
