Insert "Magic" reference here

Just before MSU took the floor Sunday, Kalin Lucas looked into the crowd and noticed Earvin "Magic" Johnson standing there. “I saw him," Lucas said. "I just told the fellas, ‘Hey, let’s get stops on defense, let’s play Michigan State basketball. We’re gonna win this game.’”

   That was Tom Izzo's sentiment before the Spartans ever got to the arena. He has not always been happy with the way his team has focused for pre-game walk-throughs. It was very different Sunday.
    “They walked in like they were in the Army. … I felt like saluting them,” Izzo said.
    After that, Izzo had a good feeling MSU was going to beat Louisville. He was right, of course. And now it's safe to say that 2008-09 has seen one of the best seasons, teams, stories and Izzo coaching jobs in this program's history.
    Thirty years after a 12-point win over a loaded No. 1 seed (Notre Dame) in Indianapolis under Magic, Jud and Kelser, MSU did it again with Izzo, Lucas, Suton, Walton and Summers. Magic told Izzo he appreciated the tribute.
    “I told him we’re gonna try to live up to his 30 year (anniversary)," Izzo said of the 1979 national title. "We lived up to his Indianapolis. He did a little number on Digger back then.”
    Johnson also told Kentucky to "stay away" from his coach, and Izzo joked about having to deal with UConn's "7-foot-9" center, Hasheem Thabeet. And there was a lot of discussion about what this whole thing will mean to the city of Detroit. Mark Hollis joked about a "Spartan stimulus package."
    There's a lot of time to talk about all that. This should be an incredible week in the state of Michigan. For now, I need to take a breath. These guys are wearing me out.