Michigan State to play at Tom Izzo's alma mater, Northern Michigan, for exhibition contest
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State basketball will play an exhibition game against head coach Tom Izzo’s alma mater, Northern Michigan, Oct. 13 at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Mich., the program announced Thursday.
The game will tip off at 1 p.m. It will take place the Sunday of the Michigan State football team’s bye week. Ticket and broadcast information will come at a later date, according to a release from the program.
Michigan State has played Northern Michigan in an exhibition setting six times over Izzo’s 29 seasons as head coach. Their most recent exhibition meeting resulted in a 93-47 win for Michigan State in October 2018 at the Breslin Center. But Izzo has always wanted to coach against his alma mater on its campus in Marquette. He will finally do so this fall.
“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 said in a release. “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. I think this will mean a great deal to people, not only in East Lansing but especially for the great people in Marquette and the Upper Peninsula.
“I’ve always said that I want my players to have moments that are memory-makers for them, from playing on an aircraft carrier or in the Champions Classic and getting the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. I know they’re excited about going to play at a place that is really special for me, and I think this is going to be a memory-maker for all of us.”
A native of Iron Mountain, Mich., Izzo played guard for the Wildcat basketball team from 1973-77. He walked on to the team as a freshman and went on to earn Division II All-American and team MVP honors as a senior.
Following a two-year stint as head coach at Ishpeming High School from 1977-79, Izzo returned to Northern Michigan as an assistant coach from 1979-83. He joined Jud Heathcote’s staff at Michigan State in September 1983 and has spent the past 41 years in East Lansing.
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Michigan State and Northern Michigan have met seven times in the regular season. The Spartans lead the all-time series, 7-1. The teams last played a regular season contest in December 1975, Izzo’s second season as a Wildcat. Michigan State won that game, 81-65, at Jenison Fieldhouse. Izzo logged nine points and two assists in 32 minutes that day.
Michigan State and Northern Michigan’s most recent meeting in Marquette occurred one year prior, in December 1974. The Spartans beat the Wildcats, 91-59, that day at Hedgcock Fieldhouse. Izzo dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds in 26 minutes that game.
The Superior Dome is home to Northern Michigan’s football team and has never before hosted a collegiate basketball game. The stadium opened in 1991 and seats 8,000 people.
Michigan State has yet to announce the remainder of its exhibition schedule. The Spartans will, however, travel to play three games in Spain on Aug. 15, Aug. 18 and Aug. 20. The team will depart Aug. 13 and stay for 10 days.
