About 4,000 screaming Spartans fans have made it their mission each men's basketball home game to get into the minds of the opponents and throw them off their game, helping MSU win some tough matchups.
What started as a few dozen students in the mid-1990s quickly has mushroomed into one of the loudest, most intimidating crowds in all of college basketball.
And that effort hasn't gone unnoticed by head coach Tom Izzo throughout the years.
The Spartans are 146-21 at Breslin Center during Izzo's career, including a 123-12 record the past nine seasons.
But after watching a string of lackluster crowds during the past several years, Izzo said he wants to see some new life injected into the section.
"I understand we've got a job to do, but if you give credit like I have been giving for 10 years for helping us — that's not just helping us when we're good. That's helping us all the time," he said.
Izzo isn't the only one who has noticed the seecreasing in volume. Studio art junior Kim Brock calls herself a die-hard Izzone fan and refuses to remove her campout bracelet.
But over the years, she said she has become frustrated with her fellow fans.
"The Izzone could be a lot more crazy," Brock said. "They say that we're the top student section in the country — but we're only the top student section when we're beating Michigan. Every game, I stand next to someone who doesn't jump up and down, who doesn't clap, who does a hockey cheer — I think it's unacceptable."
Some members blame the section's decline on changes in policy from two years ago, which expanded the section from 950 to 4,000 and tied ticket preferences to students' attendance record at games.
"My first year, I loved the rules," packaging junior Alex Richnak said. "It gave more energy to each person. They felt like they were part of a group. But now, it's more like anyone can get in. They just have to camp out."
But the coach and the fans agree on one cause of the downturn — both got a little complacent with their level of success.
"People who started off as freshmen were used to the team automatically winning games," said Frankie Orlando, political science senior and former Izzone co-director. "They thought, 'We are going to win — we don't need to cheer as loud.'
"Those teams in '03 and '04 weren't as solid as the national championship team. When they lost games, fans got disenchanted."
Home-court advantage
Izzo first made his frustrations known at his year-end press conference last season, telling reporters that other schools' cheering sections, including Illinois' Orange Krush and Wisconsin's Grateful Red, had caught up with MSU.
Now, Izzo and the section's directors are trying to recapture the enthusiasm that put Breslin Center on the national map.
"The students are really the life of this program," Izzo said last month. "I don't think there's any question that over the years our students have won us … one to two to three games a year that we would've definitely lost."
Izzone officials said no changes have been made this season to the way the section is run. Instead, they're relying on the section to reclaim its enthusiasm by rallying behind a team that has lower expectations than any MSU squad in recent years.
Richnak, who can be seen at games with a cape around his neck and a green and white Superman-style "S" painted on his chest, said fans should do several things in order to give their all to the Izzone.
"Be cheering throughout the entire game, never leave early, get here as soon as you can when the doors open and give them as much support as you can," he said.
And that will be especially important this season, as the Spartans play a school-record 19 games at home, including 11 of their 15 nonconference games.
"Fans are the sixth man," Izzo said. "I'm hoping my fans will be the fourth or fifth. We'll need everybody."
Having an impact
Neon green wigs, homemade Spartans costumes and body paint made their annual comeback to Breslin last Sunday, when the Spartans defeated Northern Michigan in an exhibition game — their first home contest of the season.
"It was a pretty good crowd," Izzo said after the game. "They got into it. I hope they get to learn our players — they don't know them yet. I am anxious to see what happens."
Junior guard Drew Neitzel also was excited to play in front of his home fans once again.
"It was great to be back in there — get the Izzone back and get the home crowd back," Neitzel said. "I can feel the difference, and it gets the adrenaline pumping. We've got the best home crowd in the country, so it's a huge advantage."
Izzo understands how easy it is to get complacent. He acknowledges it's hard to stay excited when your team is expected to win all the time. But he is calling on all fans to do their jobs — just as he's calling on his players to put on a good show for them.
"I'm just saying that maybe this is a good chance for everybody associated with the program to appreciate what we had and not forget what we did to get there, including the coach," Izzo said. "We've earned our stars, but we should be granted a year when we are not going to win on talent.
"If you are a fan … you really, truly do have an impact on our team. We really, truly need you for a couple of wins."
Laura Collins can be reached at colli313@msu.edu.
MEN'S HOOPS TIDBITS
Game to circle on your calendar: Boston College, Nov. 29
In arguably its biggest win of the season, MSU beat the then-No. 6 Eagles at Madison Square Garden in New York last December. This year, the teams meet as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Goran Suton, on how the team adjusts to losing three teammates to the NBA:
"Even though we lost these guys, we can still be as good. Last year, we went 8-8 in the Big Ten and that's not any good. I think if everybody's on the same page and everybody does their assignment, we can be really good."
Maurice Joseph's keys to MSU's season
1. Turnovers — "We've been turning the ball over way too much."
2. Transition defense — "I think we've got to come back and defend the 3 a lot better. Both teams we've played hit a couple 3s in transition that really hurt us. Communication goes hand in hand with transition defense."
3. Rebounding — "We're not the biggest team. We don't have the most athletes. And when Big Ten season starts and we're playing guys like Greg Oden, we're going to have to focus on rebounding and not letting guys get offensive rebounds on second and third chances because that will really break our back."
Maurice Joseph's Big Ten sleepers
1. Purdue — "They're big and physical, and they always play hard."
2. Indiana — "They missed (D.J. White) last year and they were already good."
3. MSU — "I think people are sleeping on us. I think we have a lot to prove to people."
WOMEN'S HOOPS TIDBITS
Game to circle on your calendar: Maryland, Jan. 6
The defending national champion Terrapins beat the Spartans at the Paradise Jam tournament last season.
Laura Hall, on the biggest difference between this team and last year's:
"Team chemistry. We're a lot more close-knit. We feed off each other in practice every day."
Spartans who need to make the biggest leaps this season:
Laura Hall - Hall began last season in MSU's starting lineup, but was moved to the bench midseason after starting 12 games. With no question marks around her starting spot now, the junior center needs to become a more consistent contributor.
Victoria Lucas-Perry - The senior guard was MSU's third leading scorer last season with 10.2 points a game, trailing only Liz Shimek and Lindsay Bowen. With those two graduated, Lucas-Perry becomes the Spartans' No. 1 scoring threat.
Allyssa DeHaan - We realize DeHaan will be making a leap from zero since she didn't play for MSU last season. But if the 6-foot-9 freshman center even comes close to fulfilling her potential this season, the Spartans will have one of the most unique weapons in the country.
Easier road?
MSU doesn't go on the road until a Nov. 26 game against Houston, and seven of its first nine regular-season games are at home. MSU also only plays defending Big Ten champion Ohio State once, albeit on the road in Columbus, Ohio.
