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ONCE IN A LIFETIME: Izzo Brings MSU To Dome
 Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos from the game. Also click the AUDIO buttons to hear pre-game interviews, post-game interviews. MARQUETTE---A sellout crowd of more than 11,000 people packed into the Superior Dome on Sunday to watch the Northern Michigan University men's basketball team play the Michigan State Spartans in a exhibition game. MSU Coach Tom Izzo, an Iron Mountain native and NMU graduate, had his jersey retired as his Spartan team won, 70-53. Everybody, though, and especially the Upper Peninsula community, emerged from the game with an experience that will be remembered for a lifetime.  Northern Michigan Coach Matt Majkerzak called this event a "dream come true". "For a Division Two school hosting an event of this magnitude, I don't know how many could pull it off," Majkerzak said. "I think it's a testament to evreybody here for all the work that they put in. But also, for Michigan State, with helping us to pull this off at such a high level." NMU junior Jackson Dudek led all scorers with 14 points, including three triples. "It was just a blast to play against obviously a prestigious and legendary progran like Michigan State," Dudek told RRN Sports after the game. "It means so much to the team. We had a great week of preparation, and it (the game) allowed us to have some ups and downs and learn about ourselves as a team. So, it was just an awesome opportunity that we had."  Play was stopped twice, once to retire Izzo's #10 jersey from his playing days at NMU, and second, to honor nine-year-old Negaunee girl Senya Smith, who was diagnosed with cancer and will "ring the bell" later this week to mark her defeat of that terrible disease. Izzo said that Smith, who is a diehard Michigan State fan, is an inspiratuon to him, and he wanted his players to realize that as one of many "life lessons" on this trip to the U.P. Izzo embraced Smith during the on-the-court ceremony as both openly wept with emotion. "It's great to have a purpose to go back to where you're from," Izzo said. "Watching her ring that bell was, um, I mean, that was just the greatest. I said to my team in the locker room: I'm worried about you playing hard and you're fighting to be a good player. She's fighting for her life. You know, we lose perspective of things this day and age." Eleven different Michigan State players scored, led by Jase Richrdson with eleven points. He is the son of NBA player Jason Richardson. "It had like a mini Final Four feel to it, 100% percent," Richardson said after the game. "Just seeing all the lights, all the people that came out to support us and Northern Michigan and Coach Izzo. It was a great experience."  |
