Michigan State fans pack Tom’s Watch Bar in Indianapolis for an Michigan tailgate ahead of the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on March. 13, 2025. Spartans of all ages gathered to cheer on their team and celebrate the tournament atmosphere.
Tom’s Watch Bar in Indianapolis buzzed with energy Thursday night, reflecting the excitement surrounding MSU’s Big Ten Tournament run.
Just blocks from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Michigan State University fans, alumni and university officials turned the Spartan-owned sports bar into MSU’s unofficial tournament headquarters.
Spartan Brass and MSU’s cheer and dance teams set the tone as fans reminisced and shared expectations for a team surging into March.
The No. 1 seed Spartans, winners of their last seven meetings to seal an outright Big Ten title, face No. 8 seed Oregon at noon on Friday, March 14 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Big Ten Network will air the game.
The atmosphere was electric. MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz, Athletic Director Alan Haller, Vice President Kim Tobin and Board of Trustees members Rebecca Bahar-Cook and Dennis Denno joined the crowd, reflecting on MSU’s first Big Ten title since 2020 and fueling excitement for the tournament.
"Coach Izzo is a great mentor, not only to the players on his team, but the other coaches on campus," Guskiewicz said. "It’s just a family atmosphere that’s been created (at MSU), in large part because of coach Izzo."
Haller celebrated a banner year for MSU athletics: eight Big Ten titles since 2023, nine teams ranked in the top 25 this academic year and — for the first time — all 23 programs posting a 3.0 GPA or higher in the fall.
"What a beautiful time to be a Spartan," Haller said. "It’s always a good time to be a Spartan, but right now, it just feels a little different."
Sponsored by Indy Spartans, the event brought alumni and "adopted alumni" together to rally for MSU’s tournament run.
Attendees Denise Young, Chris Young and James Vidro have attended all 27 Big Ten Tournaments since 1998 — including the 2020 edition, when they attempted to bribe their way in after COVID restrictions barred fans.
While the three were teachers in Michigan, they learned how to attend the tournament every year without missing their two allotted sick days.
"The secret’s to go from Thursday to Sunday than to go trying buying individual (tickets)," Chris Young said.
Denise Young graduated from MSU in 1974 and is married to Chris Young, who graduated from MSU in 1975. James Vidro, a 1973 graduate, used to bring his wife, Gail, to the tournaments with the group before she passed.
The trio agreed: Indianapolis is the best tournament location, and MSU fans always travel well.
Jordyn Wells, a 2008 graduate from MSU’s women’s golf team, has lived in Indianapolis for 12 years. She’s attended many alumni events but favored this place because of its proximity to the arena and with how many supporters there were. She loved the idea that right as she walked in with her one-year-old son, Grayson, she already had something in common with everyone: there are a "bunch of people who could be your friends."
"It’s super cool to be surrounded by a bunch of people who are also cheering for Michigan State," Wells said. "I love the Green and White."
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MSU last held the No. 1 seed in 2019, the year it won the Big Ten title, defeated Michigan in the championship and reached the Final Four.
The Spartans are a projected No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, powered by their "strength in numbers," with a chance to grab the final No. 1 seed if they win the Big Ten Tournament.
"I love this team," Vidro said. "The way there are 10 people playing, nine people have led the team in scoring, it is Tom Izzo personified."
As the Spartans take the court for their Big Ten Tournament opener, the energy from Tom’s Watch Bar carries into Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where MSU fans hope this special season continues its championship trajectory.
