Both ceremonies were nice in their own respects. The fans cheered, the players were honored, and afterward, the game was played. That’s how most schools do it, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

But they simply were nothing like MSU’s celebration, which by comparison, had the sensation of a rock concert.

“That’s just about as awesome of a setting as I’ve ever been a part of,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said after his team’s 62-51 win over Purdue. “I can’t tell you how appreciative I am that everybody stayed.”

Obviously, there were natural reasons Breslin Center was more vibrant than the other venues. The Spartans had just won a Big Ten title, and fans knew the much-anticipated banner ceremony was coming up next.

I’m sure if Illinois had celebrated Senior Night directly after an important win over the Spartans, the scene would have been much more awe-inspiring.

But it still would have been nothing like Sunday afternoon.

When it comes to athletics, MSU is simply the class of the Big Ten, and that has nothing to do with the product on the field. Instead, it has to do with the mutual love and support between the players and fans, and the sense of pride that links everybody in the community together after an event like this.

“It was kind of overwhelming,” senior forward Marquise Gray said. “I’m just blessed and fortunate enough that I have an opportunity to be a part of this.”

The university didn’t have to shell out thousands of dollars to orchestrate such an extravagant post-game ceremony, just like fans didn’t have to stay 45 minutes after the game to watch the presentation.

But they did, because that’s what families do.

And make no mistake about it, MSU is a family.