NCAA Bracket Reaction: Magic Johnson Fired Up Over Alma Mater’s Showdown Against Higher Seed

Magic Johnson is very much feeling green and white. The proud Spartan alum is looking forward to the first round matchup between Michigan State, the No.9 seeded team he once played for, and the No.8 Mississipppi State on March 21. He took to chanting on X as soon as he saw the schedule.

“I can’t wait to see my Spartans play this Thursday against Mississippi State! Go Green! Go White!” He wrote on X about Tom Izzo’s team that’s gone 5-5 in past 10 games. Mississippi State is near equal in its records.

He’s probably rooting for this class of Spartans to repeat the 1979 victory when Magic Johnson led the green and white squad won the NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball championship, the first ever in MSU history. While his epic rivalry with Larry Bird began while both were NCAA titans, Magic was responsible for putting Michigan State on the map.

He led the Spartans to a Big Ten Conference title, the 1978 NCAA tournament, the Elite Eight, and the 1979 title. He was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and selected to the All-American team. He’s obviously a huge standard for any Spartan to live by. But he doesn’t need much incentive to do the Spartan chant.

Magic Johnson’s school continues to make history

MSU’s athletes have a strong backer in their most celebrated alum, whether it’s their basketball team or the Lady Spartans gymnasts. The East Lansing school is living up to his expectations since they earned the team’s 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament bid.

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Like Magic making history with MSU’s first NCAA appearance, Head Coach Tom Izzo is too. He is the first men’s basketball head coach in history to lead his team to 25 straight tournaments and this year he extended it by 26.

At 19-14 overall and 10-10 Big Ten, the ninth-seeded “bid-stealer” school will face eighth-seeded Mississippi State (21-13. 8-10 SEC). The first round match of the West Region on Thursday will be played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Magic is surely not going to miss it and he’s definitely rooting for the Spartans to be the winners that will take on top-seed North Carolina on Saturday next while the latter has an overwhelming home-court advantage.

Magic Johnson definitely has his fingers crossed for his team. Spartans, no pressure, but the school’s GOAT is watching.

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