Sunday’s rivalry game between Michigan and Michigan State turned heated in the final minute after Michigan players interrupted the Spartans’ Senior Day tradition.
For roughly 30 years, Spartans seniors have maintained a tradition in which they kiss the logo at midcourt while leaving the court for the final time. With Michigan State up 79-61 in the final minute of play, coach Tom Izzo was substituting his seniors out of the game one by one to allow them to take part in the tradition.
Things got heated, however, when two Michigan players were standing on the logo during the process, prompting Michigan State’s Tre Holloman to march over and try to shove them off.
Michigan players standing on the Spartan logo prior to MSU's annual Senior Day tradition and Tre Holloman did NOT appreciate it 😳pic.twitter.com/WHbkJ7hu0G
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 9, 2025
Video from the stands showed that the Michigan players, freshmen LJ Cason and Phat Phat Brooks, had stood on the logo even as senior Frankie Fidler was subbed out, though Fidler just ignored them. Holloman was not in as forgiving a mood.
Frankie Fidler kisses the Spartan logo.
— Spartans Illustrated (@SpartansRivals) March 9, 2025
Then, Tre Holloman was not happy with the two Michigan players standing at center court and he shoves them.
Chaotic ending to the game. pic.twitter.com/qCro8SeCvk
Ultimately, both Cason and Holloman received technical fouls, and the situation did not escalate any further.
It’s not clear if the Michigan players were actually trying to be antagonistic, but they certainly were aware of the tradition by that point. Their in-state rivals were always going to react poorly to that, and it’s no surprise at all that one of the Spartan players took matters into their own hands.
Fortunately, things did not escalate to the level that we have seen in recent football games between the two schools.
Michigan State dominated Sunday’s game from start to finish in a 79-62 win. It marked the Spartans’ second win over the Wolverines this season en route to a Big Ten regular season title.
