April 3, 2000: Michigan State University defeats the University of Florida, 89-76 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, and wins its 2nd National
Championship.
Jud Heathcote had coached Michigan State to the National Championship in 1979, led by
Earvin "Magic" Johnson. In 1983, he took Tom Izzo on as an assistant coach. Heathcote retired in 1995, and Izzo was named head coach.
Izzo led a team that included guards Mateen Cleaves and Charlie Bell, forwards Andre Hutson and Morris Peterson, and center A.J. Granger. Cleaves, Bell and Peterson were from Flint, Michigan, and were known as the "Flint Stones." Hutson and Granger were from Ohio. Ohio State fans could console themselves with saying at least they didn't go to the University of Michigan, arch-rival to both Ohio State and Michigan State. (And, arguably, to Notre Dame, too.)
Michigan State got back to the Final Four the next year, and has gotten there 8 times under Izzo. Through the 2021-22 season, he has led them to win the Big Ten Conference regular-season title 10 times, and the Conference Tournament 6 times. (UPDATE: He won the regular-season title again in 2025.) Florida would win the
title in 2006 and 2007.
Cleaves, the team's star player, would only last 4 seasons in the NBA, although he nearly
reached the Finals with the 2002 Sacramento Kings. He is now a studio analyst
for Fox Sports Detroit.
*
April 3, 2000 was a Monday. It was Opening Day for most Major League Baseball teams:
* The New York Yankees beat the Anaheim Angels, 3-2 at Edison International Field (now Anaheim Stadium). Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez pitches 7 strong innings, and is backed by home runs by Paul O’Neill and Shane Spencer.
* The New York Mets beat the San Diego Padres, 2-1 at Shea Stadium. Tony Gwynn went 0-for-3.
* The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Montreal Expos, 10-4 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
* The Cleveland Indians beat the Baltimore Orioles, 4-1 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Bartolo Colón (cough, steroids, cough) outpitched Mike Mussina. Cal Ripken went 1-for-4.
* The Atlanta Braves beat the Colorado Rockies, 2-0 at Turner Field (now Center Parc Stadium) in Atlanta. Greg Maddux (5 hits over 7 2/3rds innings) and Mike Remlinger combined on a 6-hit shutout.
* The Florida Marlins beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-4 at Pro Player Stadium (now Hard Rock Stadium) in Miami Gardens, Florida. Barry Bonds went 1-for-4.
* The Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals, 5-4 at the SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre) in Toronto.
* The Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds were tied, 3-3 at Cinergy Field (formerly Riverfront Stadium) in Cincinnati, after 6 innings, when the game was called due to rain. Ken Griffey Jr., making his Reds debut, went 0-for-2.
* The Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Minnesota Twins, 7-0 at the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Steve Traschel pitched 7 innings of 5-hit shutout ball, and 2 relievers completed an 8-hit shutout.
* The St. Louis Cardinals beat their arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs, 7-1 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Now, why would you schedule your arch-rivals for Opening Day? Why waste Opening Day on a game that would probably be a sellout, anyway? Mark McGwire was injured, and did not play. Sammy Sosa went 0-for-4.
* The Texas Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox, 10-4 at The Ballpark (now Choctaw Stadium) in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas.
* The Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics, 7-4 at the Oakland Coliseum (then known as the Network Associates Coliseum).
* And the Boston Red Sox, the Seattle Mariners, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Houston Astros, the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates opened their seasons the next day.
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