Players from eight different states make up the Michigan basketball roster, but they understand the importance of the Michigan State-U-M rivalry.

All they have to do is look to last year.

This rivalry meant a ton to Michigan’s key players last season, DeShawn Sims and Manny Harris. They knew everyone on Michigan State’s roster, played AAU basketball with them and it held significance for Detroit bragging rights as much as Big Ten records.

This year’s team is different, but there is still a level of dislike for Michigan State by Michigan player.

“I wouldn’t call it hate,” Michigan guard Stu Douglass said. “But the beat down we took at Breslin last year was pretty painful. So going back, you want to get a little revenge.”

Michigan played Michigan State on Senior Day and was blown out by the then-No. 11 Michigan State, 64-48. It came on the heels of the closest game in the last 10 years of the series, a 57-56 Michigan loss in Crisler Arena a year ago when Sims missed a layup at the buzzer.

That game appeared to take a lot out of that year’s Michigan team, evidenced by the post-game locker room scene shown in the Big Ten Network show “The Journey” that was described by some as the most heart wrenching of the year.

“It’s definitely the biggest rivalry that we have,” junior guard Zack Novak said. “It’s just two teams that really hate each other.”

Novak recognized it as he arrived in Ann Arbor, when he stood on the court for the first time. No current Michigan player has beaten Michigan State. Yet the alumni care.

Novak saw it in an e-mail he received from former Michigan player Dani Wohl, who played for the Wolverines from 2002-05. It was about an internship.

The e-mail veered in another direction.

“At the end, he said he played (at Michigan) and you guys got to get State,” Novak said. “Then there’s this whole paragraph about State and the rest is only one paragraph.

“It’s just something people are passionate about.”

Pumped for the Pack Novak might be the most outward about his love of teams in another sport. The junior guard from Chesterton, Ind., has a love of former NFL quarterback Brett Favre and the team he spent most of his career with, the Green Bay Packers.

Needless to say, Green Bay’s 21-14 win over Chicago in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday has him excited.

“I’m pretty pumped about the Pack,” Novak said. “I do think it’s bad what people are saying about (Jay) Cutler, though. A guy’s hurt, a guy’s hurt, he’s not faking, especially at that level.”

Cutler, the Chicago Bears quarterback, was criticized for sitting during the second half of the NFC title game. It was discovered the next day that Cutler sprained his MCL during the game.

It also gave him a chance to needle one of his teammates, Chicago Bears fan Matt Vogrich. While he wouldn’t go into specifics, he did admit that yes, he taunted him a little bit.

“Was I?” Novak said. “Um, yeah.”

Luckily for Novak, while Michigan plays at Penn State on Super Bowl Sunday, the game is at noon, so he will likely be back in Ann Arbor in plenty of time to watch Green Bay face Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.

Lucious’ absence not an issue Michigan State guard Korie Lucious was kicked off the team for the remainder of the season Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Michigan coach John Beilein said Lucious’ absence won’t change what the Wolverines try to do.

“You see Lucious, and certainly he has a great assist-to-turnover ratio but hasn’t shot the ball great this year,” Beilein said. “(Keith) Appling had been taking his time as it is. He’s still playing a lot of time. Appling will play, somebody else will play, that’s usually the effect.

“There’s many times, in these situations, and I don’t know the particulars, but another kid getting to play more minutes ends up being very positive for a team.”

Michigan State is expected too give Keith Appling, a freshman who was a McDonald’s All-American last season, more minutes in Lucious’ absence. Lucious had been averaging 6.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists for Michigan State this year while playing 24.4 minutes off the bench.

This and that In a different twist, Michigan won’t leave for East Lansing until 4 p.m. on Thursday, get off the bus, play and then head right back to Ann Arbor. … Michigan State has won four in a row and 11 in a row at home against Michigan. … Michigan State is 15-15 on Jan. 27, including 12-3 at home, including wins over Michigan in 2008 (77-62), 2005 (64-53) and a loss to the Wolverines in 1990 (65-63).

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow along on Twitter @mikerothstein