Ann Arbor – Moritz Wagner understands the weight the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry carries with the respective fan bases.
The German-born Wagner does not have to be a Michigan-native to figure that out.
Michigan plays at No. 4 Michigan State on Saturday in the Breslin Center in the only regular-season meeting between the rivals.
“I’m not from Michigan, I’m not from this country, (but) I know how much this means to fans, and I know how much it means for people that are from here and my teammates,” Wagner said Friday. “I talked to (former Wolverine) Derrick (Walton) last night, and this stuff means a lot to them, and that’s why I play 100 percent.