Michigan State under Tom Izzo has prided itself on being “tougher” than its opponents, both mentally and physically. Its players are groomed to hate the rival down the road, something former Spartan standout Draymond Green admitted for a Big Ten Network special not long ago.

For years, U-M was Izzo’s huckleberry. That all changed when head coach John Beilein arrived and brought Zack Novak and Co. to Ann Arbor, altering the culture and the “white collar” image to the point where the Wolverines would go toe to toe with anyone.

Michigan was no longer anybody’s patsy, and especially not the Spartans’. They made it clear again Thursday night with a 69-50 win that clinched the Big Ten title.

Anyone expecting that to change after Beilein left probably weren’t around to remember the Fab Five era. Perhaps nobody understands the vitriol of the Michigan – Michigan State rivalry better than Juwan Howard — not even Green — after what he endured in East Lansing in his first taste of the rivalry.

As the Detroit Free Press noted, Jalen Rose is remembered for his “self-admitted toilet seat wipe” on the Spartans ‘S’ after the game, but few talk about the events leading up to it.

RELATED: Wolverine Watch: One Meaningful Championship

RELATED: Big Ten Champions: Livers, U-M's Veterans On What This Title Means To Them

RELATED: Box Score