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02/05/2012 6:22 PM EST
No. 9 Michigan State beats No. 23 Michigan 64-54
MICHIGAN ST 64, MICHIGAN 54

By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan State's Draymond Green made
good on his guarantee against Michigan with the best game of his
career in the series.



Green had 14 points and 16 rebounds - as many as his hated rival
could manage - to lead the ninth-ranked Spartans to a 64-54 win
over the 23rd-ranked Wolverines on Sunday, ending a three-game
losing streak in the rivalry.



"You can't say something and not back up your words," he said.
"I'd be less of a man to guarantee something, promise something
and not come out here and do what I can to back up my word."



The Spartans (18-5, 7-3 Big Ten) moved into sole possession of
second place in the conference behind third-ranked Ohio State.



"It was more about the rivalry than it was the Big Ten,"
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said.



For Green, it was really personal.



He hadn't played particularly well in the past against the
Wolverines and this was the last scheduled shot for the Saginaw
native to beat a team he acknowledges hating.



"I don't care where you're from, it never means as much as it
does for the players in state and that's one of the reasons I
believe in recruiting in-state guys," Izzo said. "Draymond
didn't want to go out losing four in a row."



Green was the center of attention before the game, promising to
play after spraining his left knee in a loss Tuesday night at
Illinois and saying only death could have kept him off the
court.



"It wasn't hurting," he said. "I felt great."



The do-it-all forward vowed Michigan State would win Sunday's
game after his floating 10-footer and tip-in attempt in the
final seconds of last month's setback in Ann Arbor. Michigan had
won three straight times in the rivalry for the first time since
winning five in a row from 1996 to 1998.



"The world is back into place," Green said.



Green, whose previous high against Michigan was 10 points, made
a fadeaway jumper and left-handed layup to restore 10-point
leads on ensuing possessions after the Wolverines cut their
deficit to single digits midway through the second half.



He soared for a defensive rebound in the final minute for his
16th rebound and became just the fourth Big Ten player to at
least equal his opponent's total in a conference game since the
1996-97 season, according to STATS, LLC.



"He's got a great spirit and he had a great game," Wolverines
coach John Beilein said. "He's always been a tough matchup for
us, but he played his best today."



Michigan's best players, meanwhile, played poorly.



Tim Hardaway Jr. missed his first six shots and had a season-low
four points on 1-for-10 shooting. Teammate Trey Burke had made
only one shot before his 3-pointer just before halftime pulled
the Wolverines within eight points. Burke finished 4 of 11 and
scored 11 points.



"What we did was shut down Burke's penetration and that's how
Hardaway gets his shots," Izzo said.



The Spartans took control with a 17-7 run early in the first
half and pulled away with eight straight points to take a 57-40
lead with just under 3 minutes left after Brandon Wood tracked
down an offensive rebound and made a 3-pointer.



Michigan State outrebounded the Wolverines 40-16, including
getting nine more on the offensive glass.



"They only missed 22 shots and they ended up getting 12 of those
back - and that's not good," Beilein said.



Keith Appling and Branden Dawson each scored 10 points and Wood
added nine for the Spartans, who made 52 percent of their shots
and held the Wolverines to sub-40-percent shooting.



Michigan's Zach Novak scored 14 points and Jordan Morgan had 11.



The Spartans held Michigan scoreless for 5-plus minutes, but
they were tied at 2 after making only one shot and turning the
ball over four times.



Michigan State started clicking on offense while the Wolverines
continued to struggle, leading 19-9 midway through the first
half.



The Spartans made 59 percent of their shots in the first half
with eight players making a shot.



Michigan, meanwhile, had eight turnovers by halftime - three
fewer than it averages in a game - and shot 39 percent.



The Wolverines tried to get Hardaway going early in the second
half, but he missed four shots in the opening minutes before
finally making a shot with 15:26 left in the game.



"We were trying to do everything we can," Beilein said.



Michigan State built a 16-point lead with just under 13 minutes
left soon after the usually composed Beilein was called for a
technical foul for arguing a call. A few minutes later, the
Spartans' bench was called for a technical and it wasn't clear
if an assistant coach or the frequently fiery Izzo drew the
whistle.



Michigan State improved to 14-0 at the Breslin Center, which
seemed louder than it has been in years, and the Wolverines
still have only one win on an opponent's home court this season.



"I thought the building had some energy," Izzo said. "I thought
it was off the charts."



---



Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage

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