Michigan Sweeps Rival for Big Ten Crown
No. 3 Michigan defeated No. 8 Michigan State 90-80 for their 15th straight Big Ten win, sweeping their in-state rivals for the season. The victory clinched Michigan the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament after securing their 16th regular-season conference title. Meanwhile, Oklahoma topped Texas 76-72 with Brycen Goodine leading six Sooners in double figures.
Yaxel Lendeborg powered the Wolverines with 27 points, tying a career-high with five three-pointers. Michigan's bench was a significant factor, outscoring Michigan State's reserves by a margin of 29-8. The win marked a record-setting 19th conference victory for Michigan, the most in a single season in Big Ten history. The Wolverines finished the regular season 29-2 and became the first Big Ten team in 50 years to complete an undefeated conference road schedule. For Michigan State, senior forward Jaxon Kohler tied his career-high with 23 points while Jeremy Fears Jr. added 22 points and a game-high nine assists in the losing effort. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Spartans, who enter the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed. As the top seed in the expanded 18-team Big Ten Tournament, Michigan receives a triple bye and will play its first game in the quarterfinals on Friday at the United Center in Chicago. The Wolverines will look to defend their 2025 tournament title. In the Big 12, the Oklahoma-Texas game was an overtime thriller that ended 88-85. Texas guard Jordan Pope scored a game-high 30 points and was fouled on a three-point attempt with 3.8 seconds left in regulation, sinking all three free throws to force the extra period. Nijel Pack led the Sooners with 23 points, while Xzayvier Brown added 21. The victory was Oklahoma's fourth straight to close out the regular season.
