Wolverine Center and Spartan Fan Suspended: Big Ten officials suspended a Michigan player and Michigan State fan for 1.5 games following an incident in which the unnamed fan instigated a shoving match with junior center Amadou Ba. The fan — who was drunk according to reports — walked onto the court before the game Saturday between the Wolverines and Spartans and said something to provoke Ba. He responded by getting up and shoving the fan to the floor. Police guided the fan out of the stadium, and he went to the hospital to treat possible injuries.
Ba missed last night’s win against Illinois and will sit out the first half of the Wolverines’ game against Ohio State. The Spartan fan, meanwhile, cannot attend tomorrow’s Ohio State game and must miss the first half of Michigan State’s game against Wisconsin March 2. Ba has scored only three points in 18 minutes this season. It’s unknown whether the Spartan fan has much more of a contribution to Michigan State’s fan base. [2/21/06]
