Iowa 72, Michigan State 52

After shoveling for six or seven hours today, I think I deserved a night off from novel writing to attend the Michigan State-Iowa game, which was at one point in jeopardy of being postponed because of the snow.

Around three minutes left in what became a semi-surprising pounding of the Spartans, the student section began chanting.

Just like football. [Clap, clap, clapclapclap.] Just like football. [Clap, clap, clapclapclap.]

I felt it was in bad taste to bring up football at a basketball game, especially since Iowa’s men’s basketball program has been fighting the “football school” stigmata since Hoosier Dracula left in 2007. However, the students were not wrong. Not only did everything swing in the Hawkeyes’s favor (except a few fouls), their defense stymied the Spartans — exactly what happened October 30 at Kinnick Stadium.

Tonight the Hawks gave their first 40-minute effort of the season. I was fearful of a Spartan run in the second half, and it seemed almost inevitable when Michigan State cut Iowa’s lead to 15. Was a collapse similar to the one at Wake Forest in the making? Would the Hawks fall apart when the pressure was on? I became very nervous, and the Spartan contingent behind me seemed louder and more annoying than ever. But the Hawks maintained, as did Michigan State’s sloppy play and bad luck. I was able to sing the Victory Polka (“In heaven there is no beer…”) something I did not get to do when my dad and I left the Indiana game early.

Before tip-off, the arena announcer told fans to “feel free to move closer to the court.” A lot of people did not show up because of the weather, so everybody in attendance picked up their heavy coats and made their way down the aisles to empty seats closer to the action. I was flying solo, so I did not think I would move down, but then spotted empty seats behind Mervgotti and his old man. I planted myself in the ninth row behind Mervgotti and got a much better game experience. I was very proud of the students and my fellow Hawk fans in the sections around me. They seriously gave the refs and Spartans hell, making the arena feel alive and intimidating once again.