Statue of Magic Johnson vandalized ahead of football game

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) A statue of Earvin ''Magic'' Johnson on the campus of Michigan State University has been vandalized with yellow paint ahead of the

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) A statue of Earvin ''Magic'' Johnson on the campus of Michigan State University has been vandalized with yellow paint ahead of the Spartans' football game against rival Michigan.

The statue of the former NBA and Michigan State basketball star is outside the Breslin Center in East Lansing. It had an ''M'' and the words ''BEAT STATE'' painted on it. Michigan's colors are maize and blue.

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MLive.com reports the statue was being cleaned Thursday and vandals also defaced the sidewalk along Demonstration Hall Road and an area behind the ''Sparty'' statue.

No. 12 Michigan hosts No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday and supporters have been on guard duty to prevent possible vandalism to campus landmarks. In Ann Arbor, Michigan students are guarding the block ''M'' on the Diag.