Former MSU forward Al Anagonye has been to the Final Four - twice, to be exact.
Oh yeah, he's been to the NCAA Championship, too, as a redshirt freshman in the Spartans' 2000 win over Florida, 89-76.
Anagonye, who now plays professionally in Slovenia, returned to his college town during a 10-day break before his league's playoffs to enjoy the madness known as March that the 6-foot-8 forward knows so well.
Among the hundreds in attendance at Buffalo Wild Wings, 360 Albert Ave., Anagonye sat with friends to enjoy the Connecticut-Georgia Tech national final, where UConn defeated Georgia Tech, 82-73. He said there was no other place he would rather be to watch the game than East Lansing.
"This is where I've been watching it the past four years," Anagonye said as the game began.
With the MSU men's basketball team being bounced from the tournament's first round by Nevada, the crowd at Buffalo Wild Wings was seemingly pro-Georgia Tech, the No. 3 seed, as at least two patrons were wearing Tech apparel and cheers filled the bar when the Yellow Jackets scored.
Anagonye was not up for predictions before the game, but said it was any team's game.
"This is one of those games you don't know," Anagonye said. "In a game like this, heart is going to win."
Manager Brad Enders said the tournament is definitely good for business, but there is an obvious difference when the Spartans continue play into the first week of April. Although most seats were filled at the sports bar, there was little evidence of a line forming around the block.
"Without a doubt, if State were playing, we would have a line four or five hours ago," Enders said about 30 minutes before tip-off.
Jason Evans, a graduate of Central Michigan University and one of the very few UConn fans at Buffalo Wild Wings, said the NCAA Championship is important for a number of reasons. More than just having UConn win the championship, he said, the game serves as an excuse to have friends around and to go out and have a good time.
"It's important," he said. "Everything just adds excitement to the game."
Sticking with his Spartans spirit, Anagonye said he watched his ex-teammates a couple of times this season. One game he remembers well was the BasketBowl against Kentucky at Ford Field. Anagonye said he was able to watch the game via satellite. Despite viewing very few games, Anagonye said he kept up with his former teammates and that they didn't have the kind of year they should have.
"Every year is going to be different," Anagonye said. "They did not have a good Michigan State season - a good season, but not a Michigan State season."
