Michigan State men's basketball will play at Michigan on Saturday
Michigan State will resume all athletic activities beginning Friday, the school announced today. This includes the Spartans' men's basketball game at Michigan this Saturday.
In the wake of Monday's shooting which took the lives of three Michigan State students and wounded five others, all activities had been suspended until Friday. This resulted in the postponement of a men's basketball home game against Minnesota and a women's basketball road game at Purdue that were previously scheduled for Wednesday.
"The safety and physical and mental well-being of our students and staff is the primary focus of Michigan State athletics," Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller said in a statement. "In consultation with mental health professionals and in conversations with our student-athletes, it became apparent that a return to practice and competition is a crucial part of their recovery. Student-athletes were given an active voice in the decision to return to competition, as well as the autonomy to make their own individual choices about participation.”
Haller and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel had discussions this week about Saturday's men's basketball game and concluded that the game would be played on schedule.
“Athletics can be a rallying point for a community in need of healing, a fact many of our student-athletes have mentioned to me,” Haller said in his statement. “The opportunity to represent our entire community has never felt greater. I also recognize that everyone grieves in their own unique manner, and there are some who aren't ready to return to athletic events. Those feelings are incredibly valid, and as Coach (Tom) Izzo so eloquently stated last night, I hope that we will all focus on taking care of one another."
Michigan State's women's basketball team will host Maryland at 3 p.m. on Saturday as originally scheduled.
