The Spartans have gone through it all. Two seasons ago, they were a dot on the huge map of college hoops. Since Magic Johnson nearly twenty years before, Michigan State was trying to make a comeback. The young team had a great leader in Cleaves, but lost handily to the best team in the nation, North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen. There was no shame, because two years later, former Tar Heels star Vince Carter would become the most electrifying player in the NBA, and Antawn Jamison would be a budding star for the Golden State Warriors. The Spartans were determined to win the championship the coming season, with their starting lineup intact.
The next year, the Spartans ran up against the best team in the nation yet again, this time in the Final Four. The Duke Blue Devils finally showed signs of being mortal, as they barely inched past Michigan State. Yet it was still a disappointment for Tom Izzo and his squad, as they were so close to tasting victory. It would turn out to be the last hurrah for Antonio Smith, the tenacious senior who could clean off the glass like Windex. The next year, without their best rebounder and hardest worker, the Spartans would try again.
This season started out rocky for the Top 5 Spartans. When Cleaves went down with injury, Michigan State lost big games despite winning against tough opponents. Yet they refused to back down. When Cleaves returned, the Spartans also returned. They showed their poise, their passion, and their talent. With Cleaves, Charlie Bell, Andre Hutson, and the great Morris Peterson, Michigan State cruised to a second straight Big Ten title. The Spartans were prepared for the Big Dance.
They easily made the Final Four, where they had to face Wisconsin, the surprise team. Having already beaten the Badgers three times previously, the Spartans ground out a 54-41 victory. They advanced to play the Florida Gators, who had knocked off another surprise team, ironically North Carolina. Against Florida, the Spartans played great defense, but did not have the game until late in the second half. With heroics by A.J. Granger and daggers by Morris Peterson, they put away the game despite an injury to the general Cleaves. When the final buzzer sounded, Michigan State had finally won the championship.
Go To Page: 1 2
