Local Teams

Franz Wagner had 19 points and six rebounds and No. 2 Michigan clinched the Big Ten regular-season title with a 69-50 romp past Michigan State at Ann Arbor on Thursday.

Hunter Dickinson supplied 14 points and 10 rebounds as Michigan (19-2 overall, 14-2 Big Ten) bounced back from a 23-point home loss to No. 4 Illinois on Tuesday.

Isaiah Livers tossed in nine points with seven rebounds, Mike Smith had nine points and five assists and Eli Brooks added nine points for Michigan.

Aaron Henry led Michigan State (14-11, 8-11) with 14 points and five rebounds. Mady Sissoko added eight points.

The Spartans are assured of a losing record in the conference for the first time since Tom Izzo became head coach in 1995.

This was the first of two games between the in-state rivals prior to the Big Ten tournament. They'll meet again Sunday in East Lansing.

Brooks scored nine first-half points as Michigan led 39-28 at the break.

Michigan scored the first seven points and was up eight, 18-10, midway through the half after a three-point play from Dickinson.

Michigan State answered with a 6-0 spurt but the Wolverines responded with a 9-2 run. Wagner scored five of those points.

The Spartans came within four points later in the half. Michigan then finished it with another 9-2 run as Brandon Johns Jr. scored the last four points.

Michigan State tallied the first four points of the second half to cut the Wolverines' lead to seven. Michigan then asserted full control, reeling off 10 unanswered points to make it 49-32.

Smith provided the spark. He fed Wagner for a 3-pointer and Dickinson for a dunk. Then he looked for his own shot, knocking down a 3-pointer. Dickinson finished off the run with another dunk.

The Wolverines soon went on a 13-0 run to gain a 28-point lead. Wagner had eight of those points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

--Field Level Media