Michigan State and Michigan would not play each other in the NCAA Tournament unless both teams advanced to the finals, but that doesn’t mean their fans aren’t paying attention to one another. The Spartans and the Wolverines are playing at the same venue in the opening round, which has led to some creativity.
On Wednesday, we told you how Michigan State fans have been buying South Dakota gear in anticipation of the Jackrabbits’ first-round game against Michigan. The following photo, which was posted on Reddit Thursday morning, appears to show that Wolverines fans wasted no time firing back.
According to various people on Reddit and Twitter, the Sparty statue on Michigan State’s campus has been decked out with Valparaiso gear. Michigan State is facing Valparaiso in the first round.
There’s no way of knowing for sure if it was Michigan fans who did the vandalizing, but they’re certainly the prime suspects. The Spartans and the Wolverines may be five wins away from a potential meeting, but the back-and-forth we have seen before the tournament reminds us of just how intense the rivalry is between the two schools.
