Michigan State Basketball Through the Lens of a Disposable Camera

When it came time to prepare for the Duke Blue Devils to come to East Lansing, nerves were high. Learning all opposing players names, strategizing for the best seat in the Izzone, and perfectly timing exactly when to get in line just wasn’t quite enough.

Being a college student and preparing to stand outside in line, in the balmy thirty-five-degree weather, I had one thing on my mind. How will my phone battery survive long enough for me to snap the shot of our winning score over Coach K? But a relic of the past, a hero of the vacations from my childhood, the disposable camera, wouldn’t (and didn’t) let me down.

Outcomes of the game aside, I gained a new perspective on basketball, and dare I say life, on that disappointing night in the Breslin Center. The ole’ disposable traveled with me to every game. It sort of became a game in a sense, and in a weird way symbolized why I love basketball so much.

Now that I have just barely come to terms with that fact that this is not a bad dream, I’d like to highlight some of my favorite moments from this season through film. Right off the bat we saw Draymond Green’s jersey rise high into the rafters, we managed to get ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’ (Dan Dakich’s) attention, saw Coach D’s retirement speech, watched the team beat Michigan at home again, and got to be in the presence of Jay Bilas.

Most importantly, we got to see the team, our Spartan Dawgs, grind through everything that happened. Although I am really feeling sorry for myself that I don't get to go and sit in the student section at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, this is not about me. The reason I was so eager to snap these pictures is because this group had something special. We saw the sparks here and there, and as March began to approach we felt the fire under all of them ignite.

Just like these pictures, I had no way of knowing how this season would turn out. I know it is hard to draw positives out of this abrupt end but, I am trying to live my life in and out of Breslin one wound up snap shot at a time, disregarding the end result but enjoying every game, picture, and moment along the way.

To all of Spartan Nation, thank your lucky stars you had the opportunity to watch Conner George, Kyle Ahrens, Cassius Winston, and now maybe Xavier Tillman play their last game at the Breslin and go out as champions. Our world is reeling from these unprecedented times, so do your part, sit on the couch with your ice cream and tissues watching college basketball reruns, and soon enough we will find ourselves knocking on Breslin’s door again. Go Green and stay safe!