Elliott Daniels Senior Associate AD/Student-Athlete Engagement | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Elliott Daniels Senior Associate AD/Student-Athlete Engagement | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Michigan State's men's basketball team, led by head coach Tom Izzo, is set to create lasting memories during their visit to Michigan's Upper Peninsula this weekend. The Spartans are preparing for an exhibition game against Northern Michigan University in Marquette, a place significant to Izzo as it is his alma mater.
The game will be held on Sunday, October 13, at 1 p.m. and broadcast live on BTN with commentary from Lisa Byington and Bill Raftery. This event marks the first collegiate basketball action in the Superior Dome, known for being the largest free-standing wooden dome globally since its opening in 1991.
The team arrived in the Upper Peninsula on Friday evening and began their Saturday with breakfast at the Mariucci Family Beacon House. Founded by Izzo's friend Steve Mariucci, the facility provides accommodation for patients and families seeking medical care at the U.P. Health System.
Following breakfast, the Spartans conducted a 90-minute practice session at the Superior Dome. Reflecting on this experience, Coach Izzo remarked, "The job they did in there (the Superior Dome) shocks me. It's way better than I thought it was."
Izzo also visited Northern Michigan University's basketball arena to see his #10 jersey displayed on the Vandament Arena wall. He expressed deep appreciation for returning to a place filled with personal significance: "There's a lot of cool things that happen to you in your life... but when you get to do it in front of the people that are first in your life, it matters even more."