Juwan Howard shares feelings on Michigan State rivalry despite joint struggles

In-state rivalries always produce some extra juice, especially in the Big Ten. Michigan–Michigan State has been one of the best in college basketball in recent years and another meeting will take place on Tuesday in East Lansing. This one will have a bit of a different feeling though, with neither program in a great spot at the moment.

Even so, Juwan Howard is still ready for a classic rivalry showdown. He believes no matter the circumstances, the Wolverines and Spartans always produce a good product. After all, nothing matters more in these types of games than having bragging rights over the other side.

“It’s great to have a rivalry game in-state,” Howard said. “This is always a fun time. Fun time for the entire state to really tune in and see two teams that do a really good job of competing for the bragging rights. We’re looking forward to the competition, which we always do. We expect it to be a very home-welcoming environment when we arrive tomorrow.”

Michigan is in the midst of a three-game losing streak, all of them being double digits. Sitting at 2-7 in Big Ten play, Howard finds his team in dead last of the conference. Barring some kind of run in the Big Ten Tournament in March, the Wolviners will not make the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season.

You have to go back to the first year of the Jon Beilein era to find the last time that happened.

Michigan State is having more success than the in-state rivals but not to the level everyone in Green and White wanted this season. A preseason top-five team in the AP poll, Sparty now finds itself under .500 in Big Ten play. However, recent times have been a bit better, winning three out of the last four games.

Tim Izzo‘s squad will walk onto their home court as heavy favorites, expected to win and take another rivalry game against Michigan. The series has gone back and forth over the last few seasons, split down the middle at four wins a piece over the last four years.

Michigan State will be hoping to take the bragging rights and hopefully propel itself to a nice run in the second half of the Big Ten schedule. The Spartans always find a way to play great basketball down the stretch, right in time for the NCAA Tournament.