"It means a little more," says Tom Izzo

EAST LANSING – Two top 10 teams. Two games in 14 days. A Big Ten regular season championship game

Buckle Up: It's time for the states of Michigan and the United States to renew their annual rivalry, with as many chances as they are in their 181-game history.

The Spartans in 10th place, a half-game in front of the Wolverines 7th in the Big Ten) will go to Ann Arbor at 15:45. on Sunday (CBS) at the first of two games this season between the two programs.

This is a game that is important both in the Big Ten standings, in the seed of the league tournament and potentially in the lead of the NCAA tournament. MSU (22-5, 13-3) and UM (23-3, 12-3 opening Thursday's match against Minnesota) were projected as the second-seeded earlier this month unveiled earlier this month and continue to keep pace.

"Everyone says that they all count for one," said MSU coach Tom Izzo on Thursday. "They all count one at the end of the day. … But when two big schools are in the same state, yes, that means a little more. And that will probably always mean a little more, and that will probably have always meant a little more. "

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The Spartans gave up their only regular season game at the Wolverines in East Lansing, 82-72, last year, but still managed to win the Big Ten title. However, they were eliminated from the Big Ten tournament at Madison Square Garden in New York in the semifinal, 75-64. The Wolverines won their second Big Ten tournament title en route to their second Final Four appearance under coach John Beilein.

"When it took time, it was a turnaround or a rebound," said Cassius Winston, the MSU's junior leader. "Just little things like this where when you play a good team, you can not afford to make those mistakes. And that's what we've done. "

The two programs have only met twice in the top 10 of the Associated Press rankings; in 2013, they divided their two meetings. Michigan has won three in a row since 2017, after MSU won five in a row. The Spartans have taken 25 of the last 37 meetings, although the Wolverines have a 100-81 advantage all the time.

"Everyone does not stop saying that it's a rivalry match, it's a rivalry match," said the senior striker of the fifth year of the MSU on Thursday , Kenny Goins. "But in reality, it's still a title hunt. And we are both very close in this hunt, so it's going to be big. "

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Matt McQuaid, Michigan State Guard, and forward Kyle Ahrens react in the second half of the 71-60 win over Rutgers on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, at the Breslin Center. (Photo11: Mike Carter USA TODAY Sports)

Final times

Goins and senior fellow Matt McQuaid competed in two Big Ten championships at the MSU. They also saw the two programs getting closer.

"It means a lot," said co-captain McQuaid. "Of course, we do not really like each other, but we respect them, it's a good team and a lot of good players in this team, so it's going to be a good match."

MSU and U-M are 9-9 against each other since 2010. They have split their two games in the playoffs. The Spartans won the title of the 2014 Big Ten tournament and the Wolverines eliminated MSU last year.

"I think how much the last 20 years have been about the same," Goins said. "I've seen a lot of great games. … We are motivated simply to continue to achieve our goals. It's another match looking for a Big Ten Championship. We are therefore eager to try, during this time of the year, to reach the highest possible level. "

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More tips

The three offensive rebounds of rookie Aaron Henry in order to maintain possession of the ball in Wednesday's win against 71-60 against Rutgers were a great moment for MSU.

But it was not only Henry who helped the Spartans to overtake the biggest Scarlet Knights by 14 (45-31). In addition to 22 rebounds from Goins and Xavier Tillman, the Spartans also earned 17 Henry's combined (seven career) and five each from Winston and McQuaid.

"Especially me with how athletic I am. It's my game, "said Henry, who had five offensive boards. "I never knew I could dominate the glass like that."

Contact Chris Solari at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Learn more about the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.