The nightmare weekend has finally come to an end. Michigan State fans had to suffer through what may have to be considered the worst post-COVID-19 weekend for Spartan athletics.
Although Pat Fitzgerald and the football program continued with spring ball and hosted a slew of impressive unofficial visitors, the basketball and hockey programs suffered devastating blows.
Tom Izzo and the hoops team rallied back from down 19 to take a second-half lead against No. 2 seed UConn only to fumble that lead away in the final minutes to run out of gas, losing by four. It ended the Spartan careers of Carson Cooper and Jaxon Kohler who looked heartbroken in the locker room. It’s the last time we’re going to see that collection of players together.
Adam Nightingale and the hockey team had a 3-1 lead in the second round of the NCAA Tournament over Wisconsin, five minutes away from its first Frozen Four in 19 years. A then-Charlie Stramel-less Spartan team blew that lead, giving up two goals in 34 seconds to force overtime and then lose just seconds into the extra frame.
And that wasn’t even the end of the nightmare weekend.
The basketball team watched as Michigan and Illinois both made the Final Four, Purdue made the Elite Eight along with Iowa, and the team that the Spartans feel like they should have beaten after spotting them 19 points went on to upset Duke in the finish of the year.
Oh, that’s not enough? Well, Michigan hockey also made the Frozen Four after Michigan State’s heartbreaking loss in the final five minutes and then Nightingale revealed that Stramel broke his ankle in the first period, Porter Martone signed with the Flyers and left after one season, and Trey Augustine was reported to be joining the Red Wings’ organization this offseason.
Not enough? Michigan State women’s basketball lost a couple of key players to the transfer portal a week after being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament and the Michigan women are one win away from the Final Four.
Horrendous weekend for fans of the green and white.
Being a Michigan State fan isn’t for everyone
This weekend proved one thing: being a Michigan State fan isn’t for everyone.
The Spartans suffered heartbreaking losses in two sports whole watching their rivals make the Final Four in two sports — potentially three. They also lost some fan favorite players — five graduating players on the basketball team and at least three stars on the hockey team.
It’s been a tough weekend, but we’re all hoping these moments are going to be looked back upon and remembered when Michigan State finally gets over the hump and wins a national title in a major sport.
We can only hope.