ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan showed its support for rival Michigan State with a poignant pregame ceremony before the Wolverines took an 84-72 win on Saturday night, the first game for the Spartan men since a shooting on the their campus that killed three students and wounded five others.
A long moment of silence was broken by the Michigan band playing the Spartans' alma mater — “MSU Shadows” — while Crisler Arena was dimly lit with green and white lights from LED wristbands that were given to fans. A large “Spartan Strong” flag was held up in the student section.
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The Wolverines, and their student section, wore maize shirts with “Michigan Basketball Stands with MSU” across the front.
Kobe Bufkin snapped a tie with a 3-pointer after he bobbled the ball as the shot clock was winding down with two minutes left and the Wolverines (15-12, 9-7 Big Ten) scored the last 12 points to split the season series.
Dug McDaniel led the Wolverines with 18 points, Bufkin scored 17, Hunter Dickinson 14 and Joey Baker and Jett Howard had 10 each. Howard left the game with an apparent leg injury early in the second half.
Joey Hauser scored 20 points, Malik Hall 14 and Tyson Walker 11 for the Spartans (16-10, 8-7)
Earlier in the day at East Lansing, a moment of silence was held before the women’s game against No. 8 Maryland. The victims and survivors were honored in pregame remarks.
Funerals were held earlier in the day for Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner while Arielle Anderson’s funeral is scheduled for next week. Of the five wounded students, four remained in critical condition with one in stable condition on Saturday.
Michigan State plays at home against Indiana on Tuesday.
Michigan goes to Rutgers for a Thursday game.
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