He walked out of the Frances Cleaves Family Center, sat down and let out an emotional sigh.

“When they were introduced at the start of the game and they went to half court and hugged each other, I just broke down,” Nathan Dahlman said with his eyes welling up. “I never had a brother, so I always told those two, no matter how much they fight and no matter how much they argue, love and appreciate each other. I saw that tonight.”

Big brother won the game Friday, as the Spartans beat Wofford 72-60. Little brother had a better stat line (19 points and four rebounds vs. two points and one assist).

But both of them left Breslin Center on Saturday with a dream come true.

“It was the most memorable night in my basketball career, just being that my family finally saw a game at Michigan State,” Isaiah Dahlman said. “Me and my brother always talked about it, what would happen if we played against each other in college. In high school we talked about this, and for that to come true is just memorable.”

Noah Dahlman, who had been to East Lansing twice before (including on a football recruiting visit), called the night unbelievable.

“It was a great time,” Noah Dahlman said. “I loved competing with him and it was definitely something I will remember for a long time.”

The game came to fruition when Wofford head coach Mike Young was recruiting Noah. Young told Nathan he’d bring Noah back to Minnesota for a game before his career was done (a game Nathan learned Saturday will happen next season).

Instead, Nathan said he’d like to see his boys play against each other.

“I was quick enough to ponder that, and I wasn’t sure if there’s anytime I want to go to East Lansing, but told him I’d do it,” Young said.

“I made the call last spring and coach (Izzo) was gracious enough to allow it to happen. Trust me when I say I wouldn’t do it just to do it. I wouldn’t have to come this far away just to get my tail whipped.”

Aside from the brother matchup, the game also allowed the Dahlman family to see its first ever game at Breslin Center (conflicts with Noah and Iaiah’s younger siblings’ basketball games — and Nathan’s duty as an assistant coach for those teams — never allowed for a two-day trip). The family — Nathan, his wife, Kathy and their other four children — also saw Isaiah and Noah play outside the Minnesota state border for the first time.

In all, about 30 to 40 Braham, Minn., residents made the 681-mile drive to East Lansing to see the two play.

Doing his best to describe what his father was missing at MSU, Isaiah Dahlman often told Nathan Dahlman about the Izzone jumping up and down in its white shirts and Breslin Center’s overall environment. His father finally got to experience that atmosphere Saturday, but said it paled in comparison to seeing his sons play against one another.

“When I had my two boys out there that didn’t mean anything to me. It really didn’t,” Nathan Dahlman said.

“When they were introduced at the start of the game and they went to center court and hugged, I lost it. Tears just started flowing down my face and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had as a dad.”