Almost as soon as the final buzzer sounded Saturday night, more than 2,000 people flooded out of apartments in the Cedar Village area and into the streets - an odd scene considering MSU’s 80-61 Final Four loss to Arizona.
“The party here tonight is like TRL on crack,” computer science freshman Alfred Lertkiat said among the mass of people. “I’m still waiting for Carson Daly to appear.”
Except MTV’s Total Request Live doesn’t come complete with throngs of police officers to watch over festivities.
But despite the show of force by six area police agencies, the night - which teased revelers with rain and snow - remained peaceful in East Lansing.
It was a far cry from the mayhem of the March 27-28, 1999, riot after a Final Four loss to Duke. By 10 p.m. Saturday, police had reopened streets around Cedar Village and most of the crowd had gone inside.
Police reported about 30 people were arrested throughout the night for alcohol-related offenses, indecent exposure, throwing bottles and other minor crimes.
Six mounted officers from the Ingham County Sheriff’s Department were called in to keep the mass of people from blocking the streets.
“Obviously we want to keep the streets clear and workable for us,” East Lansing police Lt. Tom Johnstone said, surveying the scene of people celebrating along the streets in the Cedar Village area. “As long as it stays like this, this is fine.”
Minor incidents, including arrests and several small fires, were reported throughout the city and campus after the Spartans’ season came to an end.
Most students, however, remained positive during the postgame festivities. When one person lit a Roman candle firecracker in Cedar Village, another promptly used a beer to put it out.
Jessica Parker said the crowd gathered at Cedar Village was in good sprits - and so were the sheriff department’s horses.
“I got to pet the horses,” the kinesiology senior said. “The police officers have been very nice. They even let us take pictures with them.”
Parker enjoyed gathering with the peaceful crowd - which, on a much smaller scale, mirrored last year’s calm celebration when nearly 15,000 people flooded city streets after MSU won the national championship.
“There hasn’t been any violence. We are having a great time besides the fact that MSU lost,” she said.
Even the rain that began to drizzle shortly after back-to-back title dreams were squashed didn’t seem to dampen the crowds’ spirit.
But the size of the group gathered in Cedar Village had been nearly cut in half after several hours.
“I really support the team,” said Jeff O’Brien, a telecommunication sophomore.
“There’s nothing wrong with being the fourth best team in the country.”
