ANN ARBOR, Mich. – No. 3-ranked Michigan Wolverines assistant basketball coach Mike Boynton Jr. discussed the significance of the upcoming rivalry game against No. 7 Michigan State Spartans in the Breslin Center.
“It’s a big game,” Boynton said. “But at the same time, you can’t get caught up in just one game. We’re at the halfway point of conference play, and there are many games that will impact the season.”
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Boynton, who grew up a Yankees fan and has experienced rivalries at South Carolina, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State, understands the gravity of rivalry games.
“It feels different when you go into it. But when the ball tips, the team that plays best, with the most discipline and executes the game plan best, will have the best chance of winning.”
Boynton Jr. addressed the impact of having key transfers in the upcoming rivalry game at the Breslin Center.
Besides Nimari Burnett, four of the Wolverines’ highest usage players who’ve helped lead them to a 19-1 overall record and a 9-1 record in the Big Ten are all transfers who have no experience of playing in East Lansing while wearing Maize & Blue.
For the Spartans, their core four have been in the rivalry recently, and they know how electric the atmosphere will be on Friday, Jan. 30, especially under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo.
Boynton Jr. noted that transfers Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. have played at Michigan State before and understand the environment.
Even transfer guard Elliot Cadeau has experience in rivalry games, having faced Duke while at the North Carolina Tar Heels.
“They understand what the environment is going to be like,” Boynton Jr. said.
Boynton Jr. explained that the Spartans’ program is deeply embedded.
“They basically have continued to build off what they were doing 25, 30 years ago, which is a testament to the coaches and their commitment.”
Boynton Jr. acknowledged that Michigan is still in its second year of establishing foundational principles, with new players entering the rivalry, such as transfer forward Yaxel Lendeborg and freshman guard Trey McKenney, so it takes time.
“I do think it’ll be a little bit different for our guys,” Boynton Jr. said. “We experienced a little bit last week as a home team in the rivalry game. Going on the road is a little more intense, but I think our guys are up to the challenge.”
Come to think about McKenney, he spent a lot of time playing inside the Breslin Center.
The last time he laced up his sneakers in East Lansing, he dropped 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while helping his Orchard Lake St. Mary’s squad win the 2024 Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state championship.
Jeremy Fears
Boynton Jr. spoke about the impact of Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. on the Spartans’ offense.
“He’s a fantastic player,” Boynton Jr. said.
Though he hasn’t played the position as well as Fears Jr., Boynton Jr. said he understands the nuances of the game and how Fears Jr. influences his team’s ability to win.
“He’s willing to fight through screens, challenge his teammates, and hold the standard to what they believe is the right way to play,” Boynton Jr. added, expressing respect for Fears’ approach.
Boynton Jr. emphasized that Fears Jr. will be a major focus in Michigan’s game plan.
“We need to slow him down to set the tone for the rest of the team,” Boynton Jr. said.
Winning rivalry game
Boynton Jr. reflected on the experience gained from last year’s trip to Michigan State and what it takes to win the rivalry game.
“The team is different,” Boynton Jr. said. “But at the end of the day, basketball execution has to happen.”
He noted that the buildup and intensity of rivalry games settle within the first few minutes.
“Then it’s about who can be composed, withstand runs, take care of the basketball, and rebound,” Boynton Jr. said.
Boynton Jr. emphasized that the fundamentals of basketball remain the same.
“Whoever can do those things best and most consistently will be in the best position to close out the game.”
He expects the matchup to be “a really, really competitive game.”
Senior Night debacle
Boynton Jr. was asked if his team had addressed the events from last year’s Michigan State senior night game.
Boynton responded, “No. I think that thing was over by quite a bit, and so I think we just move on from that.”
He added that such an incident “shouldn’t be the case on tomorrow night” and that the team “wouldn’t necessarily be conscious of something like that happening.”
Boynton hopes the focus will be on the game itself rather than past altercations.
During the Spartans blowout victory, former guard Tre Holloman shoved L.J. Cason and Phat Phat Brooks, who were standing at center court, blocking the area where MSU seniors were performing their traditional end-of-game logo kiss.
The scuffle was separated by coaches and officials, but Izzo fed into the moment and defended the tradition afterward.
Wolverines head coach Dusty May said he and the team were unaware of the tradition during his postgame press conference.
Self perspective
Boynton Jr. shared his perspective on the significance of the rivalry game.
“As a guy who doesn’t have many hobbies, I watch sports for a living or spend time with family,” Boynton Jr. said. “I wasn’t really entrenched in the history or tradition of Michigan or Michigan State. You don’t pay attention to that when you’re just a fan watching for enjoyment.”
After experiencing the rivalry firsthand, Boynton said it now feels like some of the other intense rivalries he’s been part of.
“I was at a Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway Park, and I thought I was going to get physically harmed at some point,” Boynton Jr. said.
Boynton Jr. said he enjoys the competitive nature of rivalries, saying, “It’s what makes sports great.”
He acknowledged Michigan State has had recent success in the rivalry but said, “We’re going to try to do our best to change that.”
The combined Associated Press ranking of the Wolverines and Spartans will be the best in the history of the rivalry.
If you’re wondering, the previous best was 12, when the men in maize were ranked No. 4, and MSU ranked No. 8 in their 2013 matchup.
In this matchup, MSU is on a four-game winning streak and has won seven of the last 10.
Michigan’s last win inside the Breslin Center was back in 2018, but they’re 1.5-point favorites for the 8 p.m. tipoff on Jan. 30.