Nick King/Lansing State Journal

With the 2000 National Champions in the house being honored on their 25th anniversary, there was a player with a father who was on that 2000 team who was the star of the game. MSU legend Jason Richardson was in the front row sitting next to his backcourt partner, another MSU legend, Mateen Cleaves watching his son Jase have a memorable game in his first collegiate start. Richardson scored 29 points as MSU came back from a 14 point halftime deficit to beat Oregon 88-74.Richardson was draining jumpers and slashing to the basket just like his dad did in the Breslin Center. After the game, he found his dad right away and the two hugged it out like only a proud father and son could. Being a freshman, Richardson really wasn’t allowed to talk much to the media, but his coach Tom Izzo had plenty to say about the Richardson coming out party on national TV. “Jase Richardson, if you know anything about him , he is way more than a basketball player. Look at the classes he takes, the grades he gets.” Izzo went on to say “can you imagine being a dad (Jason) looking up at the banners he hung? And Jase, he didn’t do it in a crazy way. he did it in a very methodical way. It was take care of the ball, make good passes, play good defense and then make some great shots.”

It was also a hallmark day for Izzo, tying Bobby Knight’s record of 353 Big Ten victories. It was vintage Izzo with a little flair of the General as well. Izzo received a technical foul in the first half. Saying he was heated would be an understatement. Not sure what Izzo said at halftime but the message was received and the Spartans flew by the ducks in every way a national championship contender could. Izzo is just as intense now as he was when he broke in back in 1996. Those who say the game has passed him by may want to take a closer look. Izzo has a passion that few others have. Izzo can relate to his players despite an over 50 year generational gap. The players respond to Izzo. They love him like a father. They would ride and die with the man. Izzo doesn’t just build teams. He builds men. He builds families.

Izzo let Spartan Dawgs in the stands know by saying “that wasn’t a pretty first half. I don’t give a shit about the first half.” He went on to say “The team was the players on the floor, the players on the bench, the players behind the bench, the fans in the stands. That was a team.” Indeed it is one heck of a team from the players to the alumni to the fans. Spartan Nation. Spartan Strong. One can’t help but look back at the 2000 team and see similarities with this years team. Hustle, determination, elite defense, and a bond that is unbreakable. It will be fun to see if this years team can indeed bring the National Championship hardware back home to East Lansing.