COVERITLIVE.COM

11:38

Josh Slagter - Greetings from Ford Field, Michigan State fans. We're about 20 minutes away from the Spartans taking the floor for their practice today.

11:39

Josh Slagter - MSU will practice first from 12-12:50. Then, it's Villanova, Connecticut and North Carolina.

11:40

[Comment From Jim Drake]
How do they pick the order of practice?

11:40

Josh Slagter - It's based on seeding and which game you play. The Spartans are the lower seed in the first game, so they go first. Then the lower seed in the second game, etc.

11:40

[Comment From Sparticus]
How many fans are there?

11:41

Josh Slagter - Good representation of Spartans fans here right now. There was quite a line outside when I got here around 10:30. Gates opened at 11.

I'd say the middle five sections on both sidelines are about 2/3 full.

11:43

Josh Slagter - This is my first look at the tweaked configuration on the seating. With the inclined seating on the sidelines, it's much improved from the December game against North Carolina.

11:44

Josh Slagter - I'd have to see it full to declare it awful. Without the big section of bleachers that I'm used to seeing at these types of venues, I'm interested to see how it will be when it's filled up.

11:45

Josh Slagter - I think the coaches have said it best: There probably isn't as many "great" seats, but there might be more "good" seats than most Final Fours.

11:46

Josh Slagter - And this is a setup people will have to get used to ... it'll the same next year in Indianapolis and at least a few more years after that with the other sites the NCAA has locked in.

11:54

[Comment From Jim Drake]
what kind of practice to you anticipate - just a shoot around or a walk through?

11:54

Josh Slagter - Yeah, nothing intense for the Spartans.

11:54

Josh Slagter - Probably end it with an impromptu dunk-off, too.

11:55

Josh Slagter - Crowd's starting to buzz. The Spartans should be on the floor soon.

11:57

[Comment From Sparticus]
What's the ratio of spartan fans to non spartan fans?

11:57

Josh Slagter - I'm not sure there's a non-Spartans fan in the house right now. At least none that can be heard.

11:57

Josh Slagter - Chants of "Go Green, Go White!" have begun.

11:58

[Comment From steveo]
good for them, pump em up.

11:58

[Comment From Joel]
Do you have an approximate count? 20K, 30K or 5K? Just a ball park estimate would be nice.

11:59

Josh Slagter - The end zones and second deck are basically empty. So I'd guess a little over 5K, maybe more.

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