EAST LANSING – A.J. Hoggard delivered in the biggest moments, and Michigan State basketball took out rival Michigan for the fifth straight year at Breslin Center.
The junior point guard scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half, finishing with six assists and four rebounds, as the Spartans survived a late Wolverines rally for a 59-53 victory Saturday afternoon in the first of two meetings this season between the schools.
Malik Hall also scored 15 points despite rolling his injured left foot just before halftime. Tyson Walker had 14 points and Joey Hauser shook off a 3-for-13 shooting performance to finish with seven points and 10 rebounds for MSU (11-4, 3-1 Big Ten), which has won six straight.