Jennifer Smith Deputy Athletic Director/Senior Women's Administrator/Compliance | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Jennifer Smith Deputy Athletic Director/Senior Women's Administrator/Compliance | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Michigan State men's basketball will travel to Northern Michigan for a preseason exhibition game on Sunday, Oct. 13 in Marquette, Mich. The game is scheduled to tip off at 1 p.m. (ET) in the Superior Dome on the NMU campus.
The Superior Dome, opened in 1991, was recognized by the 2010 Guinness Book of World Records as the largest free-standing wooden dome globally and has a permanent seating capacity of 8,000. It primarily serves as the home for the Wildcats football team and will host its first collegiate basketball action with this event.
Ticket and broadcast information for the game will be announced later.
This marks the first visit for Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo to his alma mater to coach a game. Izzo graduated from Northern Michigan in 1977.
"To say I'm excited about the opportunity to bring my Michigan State team to play at Northern Michigan, my alma mater, would be a pretty big understatement," Izzo stated. "This is something we've wanted to try and do for a while, and I think it's going to be a pretty special event. We're excited to bring our team to the UP to play, and it's going to be very cool to play a game in the Superior Dome, one of the really great venues in college athletics."
Izzo emphasized that this event holds significant meaning not only for East Lansing but also for Marquette and the Upper Peninsula. He added that he wants his players to have memorable experiences such as playing on an aircraft carrier or participating in major tournaments.
Izzo has coached against his alma mater six times in preseason exhibition games, most recently on Oct. 30, 2018, resulting in a 93-47 win at Breslin Center.
Historically, Michigan State leads their all-time series against Northern Michigan 7-1. The last two matchups occurred in 1974 and 1975 when Izzo played as a guard for Northern Michigan. On Dec. 16, 1975, MSU won with an 81-65 score at Jenison Field House where Izzo contributed significantly with nine points and other stats over 32 minutes of play.
The last time MSU visited Northern Michigan was on Dec. 16, 1974; they posted a decisive victory with Izzo recording notable assists and rebounds during his time on court.
Further details regarding ticket sales and broadcast options are expected soon.
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