Michigan–Michigan State men's basketball rivalry

Michigan–Michigan State
men's basketball rivalry
SportBasketball
First meetingJanuary 9, 1909
Michigan Agricultural 24, Michigan 16
Latest meetingMarch 8, 2026
Michigan 90, Michigan State 80
Statistics
Meetings total198
All-time seriesMichigan leads, 99–92* (7 Michigan wins vacated)
Largest victoryMichigan State, 114–63 (2000)
Longest win streakMichigan, 12 (1921–27)
Current win streakMichigan, 2 (2026–present)
50km
31miles
Michigan
Michigan State
Locations of Michigan and Michigan State

The Michigan–Michigan State men's basketball rivalry is a college basketball rivalry between the Michigan Wolverines and Michigan State Spartans that is part of the larger intrastate rivalry between the University of Michigan and Michigan State University. The athletic rivalry includes the Paul Bunyan Trophy game in football and the ice hockey rivalry, but extends to almost every sport, as well as many other endeavors and forms of achievement. Both teams are members of the Big Ten Conference.

The rivalry has been evidenced both on the court and off the court. Among the off the court elements of the rivalry, recruiting of basketball talent has resulted in battles, the most notable of which turned into the University of Michigan basketball scandal, the investigation of which began when both schools sought the services of Mateen Cleaves. Michigan leads the all-time series; however, Michigan State leads the series since joining the Big Ten in 1950.