Great Lakes Wire

Over 11,000 attendees witnessed the Superior Dome Showdown in Marquette, Michigan, as Michigan State Spartans triumphed over Northern Michigan with a score of 70-53. This event, held in the world's largest wooden dome, is believed to have set a record for the largest indoor gathering in Upper Peninsula history.

Although an exhibition game, the match had an intensity reminiscent of a "mini Final Four," according to both teams' coaches and players. NMU coach Matt Majkrzak described the weekend as having "a dream-like quality." He expressed pride in hosting such a significant event at a Division II school.

On defense, Northern Michigan's Wildcats limited the Spartans to 70 points on 43.1% shooting, showcasing their defensive capabilities. The Wildcats also managed eight offensive rebounds compared to Michigan State's nine. Coach Majkrzak noted his team's effort in challenging MSU and praised Coach Izzo as "our champion."

Michigan State's Coach Tom Izzo complimented Majkrzak and his team: "I like his team... they cut as hard as anybody we play." The Wildcats showed resilience by trailing only narrowly in the second half.

Jackson Dudek led all scorers with 14 points off the bench for NMU. Julien Smith added 10 points for the Wildcats before playing less in the second half. Other notable performances included Sam Privet’s buzzer-beater putback and Dylan Kuehl’s defensive blocks.

For MSU, Jase Richardson scored 11 points on perfect shooting from the floor while Xavier Booker contributed another ten points and three blocks.

Northern Michigan excelled with seven steals and committed fewer turnovers than their opponents (14-13). The game was broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network with commentary from Bill Raftery and Lisa Byington.