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DETROIT -- Though may be feeling blue outside due to the return of winter, it was still easy being green, as Michigan State fans spend their weekend cheering the Spartans on in the Final Four -- starting with the Hoop City inside Cobo Center. The four-day event gave everyone to make free throws, lay-ups, three-pointers, and so forth in an effort to win prizes. Some of the highlights of Hoop City included the Media Celebrity Game between radio and television personalities, as TV dominated the court by the score of 38-20 playing incredible defense and offense despite radio's best efforts to make an comeback in the second half.

"It was a little more exercise than I thought," said Devin Scillian, anchor of the WDIV-TV Local 4 News and a participant in the media celebrity game. "I was thinking twenty minute run in clocks with this many players. We'll all get to play about three minutes and go home. But people got here and really wanted to win so it was fun."

Other activties family and friends can enjoy can be found at the AT&T Arena, where they have the opportunity to have their picture taken with the Heisman Trophy; create their own halftime show on classic Final Four games such as the 1979 matchup between Michigan State with future Laker Earvin "Magic" Johnson against future Celtic Larry Bird; get an autograph from several coaches of major/Big 10 universities such as UCLA's Ben Howland.

"It's awesome, we're having a great time," said Sam Mannino of St. Clair Shores, Mich., who came with his daughter Samantha. "We've done most of the activities and we've done pretty well. I like all the silly photos and getting all the goofy shots and stuff. If I could shoot better, I'd like some of the shooting contests."

And speaking of the Final Four, Tom Izzo and Michigan State proved that they had more than luck in defeating Villanova Saturday night by the score of 82-73, as they prepare to make Detroit Spartantown this Monday night in the national championship against North Carolina; it airs at 9:21 p.m. on CBS.

"It used to be a much smaller event, now they got all this stuff around it," said Evan Melloy of Minneapolis, Minn., who came with his daughter Marin. "We're Big Ten fans so we're rooting for Michigan State. I'm not sure they're going to win but we're rooting for them anyways. I grew up in the Detroit area so I'm a Wolverine fan also."

Update: The North Carolina Tarheels beat the Michigan State Spartans by a score of 89-72 in the National Championship Game on Monday night.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland signs autographs for fans.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

The Yes Clinics provide children aged 10-16 professional coaching and conditioning skills.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

WDIV-TV Local 4's Rhonda Walker has the ball in the Detroit Radio vs. TV celebrity game.

 

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RETURN TO OUR COVERAGE OF THE 2009 NCAA FINAL FOUR