On November 11, 2011 Veterans Day, Big Ten elite Michigan State took on No. 1-ranked North Carolina in college basketball in an unusual setting. The teams played on the USS Carl Vinson.

As you may remember hearing about on news, this was the ship that took Osama Bin Laden’s body out to sea to be buried after being killed by US forces. It was a memorable site as 5,000 men and women of the United States military watched the first ever college basketball game ever held on an aircraft carrier.

President Barack Obama was in attendance, alongside with his wife Michelle Obama. He gave a pre-game speech to all of the men and women who risked their lives to save our country.

Before the game, players and coaches were stunned by the amazing atmosphere of the crowd and the sun set over the San Diego Bay. Michigan State’s senior forward Draymond Green said to The Detroit News, “It’s different,” under the lights. “It’s crazy, but it is a great experience and I’m trying to get used to it.”

The USS Carl Vincent is a nuclear powered carrier that stretches 1,092 feet and has four steam catapults that can accelerate a jet fighter from 0 to 165 mph in just over two seconds. The carrier weighs over 95,000 tons.

Once the pre-game ceremony ended, the first half of the game was exciting as college basketball’s top player in the country Harrison Barnes of North Carolina had a career high 14 points. The game went back and forth in momentum changes, especially in the first half when it was tied 19 to 19 with five minutes left go in the first half thanks to Michigan State’s dominance on the boards.

Michigan State forward Draymond Green led the team with 12 rebounds of his own. Second behind Green was freshman Brendon Dawson with 8 rebounds and Derrick Nix added 7 more rebounds to their dominant performance on the glass. Green, Nix, andDawsonhad about three quarters of the team’s defensive rebounds with 27 of their own.

At the end of the first half, North Carolina was up 11 points. The second half started with Harrison Barnes lighting it up as North Carolina started to pull away. Not only was Barnes a key factor for the Tar Heels in their effort to secure a win against MSU, but several other players like John Henson, Tyler Zeller, and Dexter Strickland stepped up and made a difference for their team by putting up impressive numbers on the boards and an outstanding effort in the offensive department.  

Further and further into the game MichiganState cut the deficit down to just 10 but little by little, shot for shot MichiganState could not afford a bucket, hitting only 30.4 % of their shots from the field, and only making 3 of 15 of their shots from 3 point field goal range. North Carolina put up more of an offensive effort, hitting 52.4 % of their shots from the field with 3 out 11 made from 3-point field goal range.

North Carolina’s firepower soon became too much forMichiganStateto handle as the final score was North Carolina67 and Michigan State 55.

After the game, Michigan State Head coach Tom Izzo commented on the amazing experience playing the first ever college basketball game held on the USS Carl Vinson. Izzo said, “It’s a hell of a memory maker for us all,” he told the Detroit News.