As I told MSU head coach Tom Izzo in my pregame interview, I've thought his basketball team was underrated for a month.  They proved Tuesday night how much of a matchup nightmare they can be for Michigan and anyone else who plays them.  The Spartans can win in a number of different ways: in the half court where they wear you down, in the open court where their guards can control tempo, or if you want to get in a "muck-it-up" style game (low-scoring).  I loved the way they moved the ball Tuesday night when UM collapsed defensively and of course it helps to have one of the more dynamic freshman in the country knocking down shots in Gary Harris (should be freshman of the year in the Big Ten).  But as impressive as MSU looked, Michigan was alarming bad.  They were pushed around and seemed almost pre-occupied.  They got out-worked; out-toughed and thoroughly embarassed.  The 23-point difference was not an indicator of just how lopsided the game really was.  I expect the Wolverines to respond, and not just against Penn State, but later in the year against Indiana as well.  The problem for Michigan is they no longer control their own destiny.  They need help to share the conference title.  From a public perception standpoint, they also failed to convince the nay-sayers.  Not that it matters much, but some less-educated fans and media members will ask, "who have they beaten?" It wasn't enough to win at Illinois, where both Ohio State and Indiana loss, and it wasn't enough to beat the Gophers in Minnesota, where Michigan State stumbled.  We always seem to change our arguments when it comes to certain teams.  We ask them to prove themselves against quality teams and Michigan does so against NC State, Pitt, Kansas State, and Ohio State, but then you'll get people asking to do it on the road and they win at Illinois and Minnesota and it then changes to "beat the tough teams on the road." Well, if you're not willing to give them their due at Minny and Illinois then make sure you hold those losses against the teams that stumbled in those same buildings.  There are still six games left in the conference schedule and a lot can still happen, but Michigan has put themselves into a dicey situation.  They are not playing well, but I'm not going to say MSU exposed them.  Michigan State is going to do that to a lot teams.  They are that good.  Just because they don't have the depth doesn't mean they aren't a typical Spartan club.  I respect the hell out of their toughness-mental and physical.  I noticed after a timeout last night where both Brandon Dawson and Keith Appling intentionally shoulder bump a Michigan player.  It wasn't dirty; it wasn't unsportsmanlike and it's wasn't whistle-worthy.  It was just an "attitude." They have earned their spot atop the conference.  As usual, they get stronger as the year goes on and they aren't afraid to deliver a punch, or, maybe more importantly, take one.  Sure the Spartans play tough, but don't just label them as such.  Give them props for their other attributes: skill, basketball IQ and hard work.  Don't believe Tom Izzo when he says, "I don't know how we do it." Yes you do. It's what makes them a tough matchup for anybody from here on out. Afterall, we are getting close to March and that is usually when that team is at its best.  If the rest of the Big Ten wasn't on alert before, it should be now.