ESPN.com continues to release its list of the 50 most successful college basketball programs of the last 50 years, and both Michigan and Michigan State were each named in the top 15 on Thursday based on the detailed scoring system.
↵The Spartans, who came in at No. 11 overall, were given an official '50 in 50' starting five of Magic Johnson, Shawn Respert, Steve Smith, Draymond Green and Greg Kesler. Among the negative attributes listed keeping Michigan State out of the top 10 were not making the NCAA tournament for the first 15 years of the study and five losing seasons in the 1980's.
↵Michigan checked in just two spots behind the Spartans at No. 13, as the two rival programs were separated by a mere nine points (369 to 360) based on ESPN.com's weighted scale. The Wolverines were listed as having an all-time squad of Gary Grant, Cazzie Russell, Glen Rice, Chris Webber and Rudy Tomjanovich, with names like Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard tabbed as top reserves.