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2000 Midwest Regional: The Palace of Auburn Hills, March 23 and 25
Michigan State snatches unlikely win against Iowa State
In the year when the microgeneration called Xennials were about to graduate high school, Michigan State University achieved their third consecutive Big Ten title just months after the Y2K scare. This triumph propelled the Spartans to secure the top seed position in the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
On March 23, the East Lansing students commenced their regional play at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The initial match against Syracuse seemed unfavorable, as the Spartans found themselves trailing by 10 points at halftime. However, according to the tale, Mateen Cleaves played a crucial role in igniting his teammates’ determination, leading Michigan State to mount a remarkable comeback in the second half and secure a triumphant 75-58 victory.
In that year’s bracket, Iowa State faced off against UCLA, a team boasting the record for the most NCAA Tournament Championships at 11. However, it wasn’t UCLA’s year as the Cyclones triumphed with a resounding 80-56 victory in Auburn Hills. This win paved the way for an exciting showdown between the Cyclones and the Spartans.
The Spartans faced off against the Cyclones in a highly anticipated matchup, which also involved referees Curtis Shaw, Frank Basone, and Lonnie Dixon. Remarkably, both teams accumulated a total of 24 fouls throughout the game. The intensity reached its peak when Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy received two technical fouls and was ultimately ejected from the game with less than 10 seconds remaining.
In the game, with 2:54 remaining, Charlie Bell made a shot that gave the Spartans a one-point lead of 62-61. The crowd, mostly composed of Spartans fans, erupted in excitement as Cleaves executed a perfect alley-oop pass to Morris Peterson, extending their lead to 64-61 just moments later. Michigan State ultimately emerged victorious with a final score of 75-64. They continued their success by defeating Florida with a score of 89-76, securing the program’s second-ever national championship on April 3, 2000, in Indianapolis.
2009 Final Four: Ford Field, April 4 and 6
President Barack Obama correctly picks North Carolina to win it all in Detroit
Indeed, the 2009 NCAA Tournament held a special significance with the involvement of the President of the United States. President Barack Obama made history by publicly completing a bracket on national television. His prediction for the tournament champion was the Tar Heels, who ultimately emerged victorious at Ford Field in Detroit. Regrettably for Michigan State supporters, their team faced defeat against North Carolina in that memorable final. Apologies, Sparty.
North Carolina secured its fifth NCAA championship with a resounding 89-72 victory. Following their triumphant win in 2017, the Tar Heels have now accumulated a total of six tournament victories, placing them third on the leaderboard. However, Kentucky remains in the lead with an impressive eight championship wins.
In the 2009 tournament, Michigan State, seeded second, caused an upset by defeating UConn 82-73 in the Final Four. This marked their first appearance in the championship since their victory in 2000. It was a chance for them to potentially reclaim the championship, this time on their home ground in Michigan. The possibility of such a triumph was truly enchanting, although sadly it did not come to fruition.
There was, at the very least, one Magic present in the building.
On that day, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird paid homage to the 30-year milestone of Johnson’s Spartans triumphing over Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores for the 1979 NCAA championship by presenting the game ball. However, history did not choose to reenact itself.
North Carolina dominated the game from the start, maintaining their lead of 55-34 at halftime. Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson played a crucial role in ensuring the Spartans went back home, which was 90 miles away from Ford Field. It’s worth noting that the Lions had suffered eight out of their 16 significant losses in 2008 at this venue.
Mr. Johnson was unable to witness the conclusion, even though he tried.
2008 Midwest Regional: Ford Field, March 28 and 30
The Year of the No. 1 Seeds
In the concluding weekend of the 2008 NCAA tournament, all four No. 1 seeds triumphed, leaving no room for underdog Cinderellas. The South was conquered by Memphis, the West by UCLA, the Midwest by Kansas, and the East by North Carolina. This remarkable occurrence remains unprecedented in the history of the tournament, marking the sole instance since the introduction of seeding in 1979.
However, one of the most adored Cinderellas of the 2000s managed to make a significant impact in Detroit.
Kansas advanced to the Midwest final after defeating Villanova at Ford Field. They will now face Davidson in the final, having previously emerged victorious over Wisconsin in the semifinal.
The Jayhawks, who were the top seed, narrowly secured a historic spot in the Final Four bracket with a hard-fought 59-57 victory. Davidson, aptly nicknamed David in their battle against Goliath, had an impressive winning streak of 25 games.
Detroit has a soft spot for underdogs, hence the majority of people were rooting for Davidson to emerge victorious. One cannot forget Davidson’s standout player, Steph Curry, who made quite an impact by scoring 25 points during the game. Notably, he sank a crucial 3-pointer with only 54 seconds remaining, narrowing the score to a two-point difference. Although Davidson ultimately fell short, Curry’s outstanding performance earned him the prestigious Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Regional Award. And, well, it’s safe to say that he’s doing pretty well for himself in the NBA. (You catch my drift).
After triumphing over Memphis with a final score of 75-68 in San Antonio, Kansas emerged as the champions. Unfortunately, a subsequent investigation revealed that Derrick Rose’s SAT scores were nullified, resulting in the vacation of Memphis’ entire 2008 season.
2018 Round of 64 and 32: Little Caesars Arena, March 16 and 18
All the Cinderella stories
In 2018, a decade after the Year of the No. 1 Seeds, the NCAA Tournament had a more enchanting atmosphere. The recently inaugurated Little Caesars Arena in Detroit served as the venue for the tournament’s initial matches, less than a year after its grand opening in September 2017.
Following a dominant performance by Michigan State’s Miles Bridges, the third-seeded team effortlessly cruised past Bucknell in the opening round. As a result, a victory against the underdog 11th-seeded Syracuse seemed highly likely. The Orangemen, who barely made it into the tournament, were not anticipated to progress far.
Cassius Winston’s attempt to make a 45-foot shot before the buzzer fell short, resulting in the Spartans’ defeat. Syracuse emerged victorious with a score of 55-53, securing their advancement to the Sweet 16.
Butler, a No. 10 seed, came close to advancing to the Sweet 16 in the East Region. Despite their dominance over No. 7 Arkansas in the first round at LCA, the Bulldogs were defeated 76-73 by second-seeded Purdue in the Round of 32.
The tournament was marked by a series of upsets, starting with UMBC’s historic victory over Virginia, becoming the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed. In another astonishing turn of events, Loyola, seeded 11th, made a surprising run to the Final Four, defeating No. 9 Kansas State in an unlikely Elite 8 matchup, all while being guided by the beloved Sister Jean.
In addition to the geographical significance, this year was truly unforgettable for local supporters. The moment when freshman Jordan Poole nailed a last-second 3-pointer and gleefully raced around the court, with Moritz Wagner and the rest of the Wolverines in pursuit, remains etched in everyone’s memory.
Michigan’s victorious 64-63 game against Houston has now paved the way for them to compete against Texas A&M and subsequently Florida State as they strive for a spot in the Final Four.
Despite all of its heroics and causing heartache for Sister Jean’s crew, Michigan ultimately lost to Villanova in the championship game with a score of 79-62.
More fun in Michigan
Michigan has been the host of 10 NCAA Tournament events, taking place in Pontiac, Detroit, Auburn Hills, and East Lansing. Additionally, Little Caesars Arena is scheduled to hold an NCAA regional in 2025. Let’s take a look at the other sites that have held these events in Michigan. Do you have a favorite memory from any of these tournaments?
In 1997, 2006, and 2013, the Palace of Auburn Hills served as the venue for the early rounds of the tournament. Similarly, during the years 1988 and 1991, the Pontiac Silverdome hosted regional play.
The Mideast Regional, which occurred in 1963, stands as the sole instance when Michigan hosted a non-metro Detroit venue. This event unfolded at Jenison Fieldhouse, situated on the premises of Michigan State University. During this year, a total of 25 schools participated in 29 games. Ultimately, Loyola-Chicago emerged victorious, securing their sole championship title with a hard-fought 60-58 overtime win against Cincinnati in Louisville.
