WATCH: Michigan State G Jaden Akins Previews No. 12 Michigan
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- No. 14 Michigan State is preparing for its biggest game yet as it gets ready to face No. 12 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Friday.
Not only are bragging rights at stake but so too is the top spot in the conference, as the Wolverines currently hold the spot by just half a game.
This is Michigan State senior guard Jaden Akins' fourth year in the rivalry; he's been part of it longer than any other Spartan currently on the roster.
The veteran previewed the upcoming matchup when he addressed the media on Wednesday. You can watch below:
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo addressed the media after his team's win over Purdue on Tuesday. Below is a transcript from the opening statement of his press conference:
Izzo: "Well, these teams take a lot out of you. It was a hell of a game. It was like [Gene] Keady and [Jud] Heathcote. I mean, it was -- both teams only got 48 shots up. They shot 51 [percent], we shot 58 [percent], which is odd. There weren't a lot of rebounds to be had when you shoot that well. Uncharacteristically, we shot poor from the free-throw line, but 20 assists on 28 baskets, eight turnovers, those are ingredients that help you win games. And I thought so many of our guys -- I mean, our bench was 15-of-21 and did an unbelievable job. Frankie Fidler came back and did some things. Tre Holloman was dynamite. Coop [Carson Cooper] and Coen, Coen Carr did a yeoman's job, and our starters -- Jeremy Fears, he had to -- we did a hell of a job on [Braden] Smith because he's a hell of a player. And we didn't do a hell of a job on Kaufman [Trey Kaufman-Renn], but he's even a better player, I think. And we tried to double a little bit; he made some good shots, some good plays. But in general, we outrebounded them by a couple, the turnovers are a big thing, we had 10 steals, and they had four. And I'm going to stay on this: this team has owned us, they really have. Last few years, they've owned us. And it's because they're well-coached. They got a good team. The guys were classy after the game, and I felt like these two programs kind of mirror each other in a lot of ways. And I feel fortunate and good to win a game like that."
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