He paced up and down the sideline, yelled at his players on the court and gave his famous scowl, just like he has for 27 years.

In his final Breslin Center appearance, Purdue head coach Gene Keady, in his animated fashion, challenged the No. 19 Spartans much like he has for past 22 games in East Lansing during his 25 years at Purdue.

But the result for his Boilermakers was much like it has been all season - a loss.

Yet as fans booed Purdue players, Keady was only cheered.

Before the game, the Izzone student section held a white sign across the first row that read, "Coach Keady - Thanks for the memories."

With Keady leaving following this season, MSU head coach Tom Izzo becomes the dean of the Big Ten, with 10 years as head coach.

Izzo made sure Keady went out on the right note despite the seven-point defeat. As a token of appreciation, he gave the Purdue coach a weekend vacation at Bay Harbor Resort and Marina in northern Michigan.

And he'll have to spend it with former MSU coach Jud Heathcote, a good friend of both Keady and Izzo, an Upper Peninsula native.

"It's beautiful, now if I can only get my wife up there," Keady joked after the game.

Izzo said Keady's wife likes to shop, Keady likes golf and "for some goofy reason likes Jud."

"So put those three things together and put those guys as far up north as possible," Izzo said.

Keady has had a storied career, winning 549 games, six Big Ten championships and six national coach of the year awards.

He has coached many USA Basketball teams and even played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Although Keady hasn't ruled out coaching elsewhere, he has publicly said he's grown frustrated with this season's 4-11 record.

"I've done a lot of dumb things this season - like coming back," Keady said. "I should have gone to Maui."