It was an emotional and long-awaited return to Munn Ice Arena in Michigan State’s first home game since Dec. 5. Defenseman Maxim Strbak had a goal and two assists to lead the Spartans (18-5, 9-4 Big Ten) while Ryker Lee and Gavin O’Connell each scored a goal.

Head coach Dusty May credited the team’s defensive energy, offensive rebounding, helping the Wolverines stay composed despite early struggles.

Mara, who was much better defensively than offensively on Friday, scored six critical points down the stretch for Michigan, putting the Wolverines up 64-56 with 5:16 remaining in the game. Ohio State battled for the better part of 30 minutes, but Michigan just outlasted the Buckeyes on Friday, pulling away in the final minutes to win, 74-62.

The Wolverines had a slow start, but Michigan's dominance in the second half sealed the deal for another win.

Preview the Jan 23 matchup between the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes with how to watch, tv channel info, predictions, odds, over/under, spread, betting lines and more.

Michigan hired former Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham days before the program ended its season with a 41-27 loss to No. 13 Texas in the Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31. Whittingham, 66, was the head coach of Utah from its bowl during the 2024 season through 2025. He went 177-88 with the Utes and won the Mountain West championship in 2008.

The schedule, as he mentions, is brutal. The Wolverines face three teams that are also in Klatt's top 10, including No. 1 Oregon, No. 3 Indiana, and No. 4 Ohio State -- with two of them being on the road. Michigan also will play Oklahoma, Penn State, and Iowa, as Klatt mentions, though those three will all play the Wolverines at The Big House.

Kyle Whittingham’s move from Utah to Michigan created shock waves felt at every program in the Beehive State, including BYU and Utah State.

Kohler, Fears and Cooper are at the epicenter of Michigan State's glitzy 17-2 record, including a 7-1 mark in Big Ten play. Michigan State is fresh off a 2-0 West Coast roadtrip, but that body-clock adjustment is always a concern for coaches. Four days should be enough to get back up to speed, but it's a factor entering Saturday's action.

A winter storm headed to metro Detroit on Sunday could be boom-for-bust it when it comes to snow, according to the National Weather Service.