MINNEAPOLIS - It’s 10:30 a.m. Sunday, about 15 hours after the men’s basketball team’s back-to-back title hopes were squashed by the Arizona Wildcats.
And Andy Perkins is a little disappointed, a little groggy and pretty hungry.
“This breakfast does rule the universe,” the music education senior and member of Spartan Brass said, before he tackled an impressive pile of scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon and sausage and a bowl of cereal, topped with a banana.
Dressed in an MSU jersey and shorts, and covering his bed-head with a green and white baseball cap, the trombone player eats breakfast with other members of the band in its Embassy Suites Hotel.
They had hopes of playing tonight at the NCAA Championship game. Instead they’ll depart for East Lansing this morning.
But for Perkins, just like for the members of the basketball team that was participating in its third-straight Final Four, it’s been a pretty good ride.
Perkins is one of a handful of band members who followed the Spartans to St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1999, Indianapolis in 2000 and Minneapolis this year.
“After three consecutive trips to the Final Four, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Perkins, who’s serving his last year in the band. He begins student teaching in the fall. “It’s been so fun.”
For some band members, though, this year’s Final Four was a brand new experience.
Civil engineering senior Chris Owen said although MSU fell 80-61, the season was still a blast.
“This has been a great team, a great season and a great bunch of trips,” the alto saxophone player said.
Thirty members of Spartan Brass have been traveling with the team throughout this season’s tournament. Unlike the team, the band didn’t have to practice while in the Twin Cities.
But it kept plenty busy.
Besides Saturday’s semifinal game, the band played at a pregame rally and took part in Battle of the Bands performances at NCAA Hoop City at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
And it was the band, perhaps, that assured MSU wouldn’t fall to the Wildcats twice in one weekend.
“Arizona was good - but we destroyed them,” Perkins said of the Saturday battle.
Though no official winner is declared - it’s more of a rally atmosphere - band members say they take the event quite seriously.
Each of the Final Four bands -MSU, Arizona, Duke and Maryland - were allowed to play five songs, including their fight songs.
“This is our only outlet to compete, so we’re fired up,” Perkins said during Friday’s battle.
During the bands’ performances, the schools’ cheerleaders and dance teams took the floor and the mascots also got in on the action.
Just like at a game, there was some trash talking.
“They’re going down, they’re going down,” Perkins shouted about the Arizona band.
John Madden, MSU band director, whose two young daughters cheered on the band during the battle, said the competitions are good opportunities to check out what other bands do.
For instance, Maryland’s band organized an all-school limbo line under two trombone players.
“If anything, we’re gaining experience,” Madden said, adding he’d like to see a similar event organized between Big Ten bands.
Like the cheerleaders and members of dance team MSU Motion, his band members have devoted a lot of weekends and nights supporting the basketball team.
“The fact that they’re here means they love their school,” Madden said.
And they certainly support the basketball team.
In fact, Tracy Kretz’s love of the squad has caused her to become a little superstitious.
The advertising senior and saxophone player has been wearing the same shoes, belt and khaki pants to each game during the NCAA Tournament.
“I wash the pants,” she explains.
So instead of preparing for tonight’s title game - Duke plays Arizona - Perkins said he would hit the hotel’s hot tub and then stroll the Mall of America, in Bloomington.
And even though his career traveling with the Spartans has come to an end, he’s confident the band will play at more Final Fours without him.
“Our team’s so fresh,” Perkins said.
“We’re going to be kicking ass for years to come.”
Mary Sell can be reached at sellmary@msu.edu.
