ANN ARBOR (WWJ) - One of the most anticipated college rivalry games is set to commence in Ann Arbor as Michigan State meets Michigan this weekend — but Spartan head coach Tom Izzo knows this game is different.
Saturday's tip off at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor will be a somber atmosphere for the Spartans (16-9, 8-6 Big Ten) who are playing their first basketball game since a gunman opened fired on students at Michigan State University, killing three and wounding five others on Monday night.
Izzo said his players have had a few practices since, but the team's main focus as been on meeting with mental health professionals and relying on each other to overcome the tragedy that has shattered the hearts of the East Lansing community and beyond.
Izzo, who has called East Lansing home for over 40 years, said Saturday's game against the Wolverines (14-12, 8-7) will be critical to the healing process -- win or lose.
“As they say, the world keeps turning. And one way to get back to some normality is to make things more normal,” Izzo said in a press conference on Thursday shortly after MSU announced the Spartans will travel to Ann Arbor. “And unfortunately, we've had a lot of things in the last 10 years that have given us a blueprint for this, whether it be 9/11 way back or whether it be some other things that have happened where I think you've just got to figure out a way to honor the people that were senselessly killed. And yet our way of being able to do that is to play the game. And there'll be nobody forgotten. …
“As we looked at it and in discussing this with our team, it was clear they wanted to get back on the floor. And I think that you think back that many tragedies, sometimes sports can really lift you a little bit."
The University of Michigan has several special events planned in remembrance of the Michigan State victims and in support the community. The Wolverines have made special warm-up shirts in addition to holding a moment of silence.
A “Spartan Strong” banner will be in student section and Michigan's pep band will play MSU's alma mater.
Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard and other U-M coaching staff all reached out to the Spartan team in the days after the shooting, which Izzo said he appreciated.
“It’s going to be an emotional day I’m sure for everybody,” Izzo continued. “But from what I heard, I greatly appreciated the support I got from the University of Michigan. The texts I got from people, the way their university has stood up. Does it help? Of course it helps.”
Izzo went on to say that his team has had one "awful" practice and one that was better. He wasn't sure if the Spartans could pull off a repeat win against their in-state rivals.
The Spartans walked away 59-53 from their last meet up with the Wolverines on Jan. 7 at Breslin. MSU won their last two games in a row while U-M is looking to beat the Spartans after coming off two losses against Indiana and Wisconsin.
Izzo said the two teams have played "pretty similar" throughout highs and lows so far this season, but Saturday's game will go beyond basketball.
“There’s some things that aren’t rivalries. There’s some things that are bigger than the game,” Izzo. “The game is gonna be really important to me, as it has been for all 28 years I've been here. But there'll be a little asterisk on it. And I'm gonna have to do a good job of holding my emotions, their emotions. Everybody's emotions."
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. at Michigan's Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. The game can be watched on FOX and will be broadcast on WWJ-AM (950).