EAST LANSING — The run is done for the Michigan State women's basketball team, but head coach Suzy Merchant is still dancing.
The Traverse City native will be in Detroit today for the men's Final Four attending various University functions.
And when the Spartans tip at 6 p.m. with UConn in the first national semifinal, Merchant will be rooting for the Spartans.
"Their leadership and fight," Merchant said when asked what stood about the men's team. "I don't care who they're playing or what the odds are. They're warriors. They're unbelievably tough."
"I don't care what UConn's got. Their mental toughness is bigger than that entire stadium. I wouldn't count them out."
Michigan State is playing a home game of sorts with the Final Four being held 90 minutes away from East Lansing.
It's familiar territory for Merchant after her team hosted — and won — its first two games of the NCAA tournament at the Breslin Center.
"Obviously you do feel some pressure (playing at home), but for Tom (Izzo's) team, the pressure was to get there," Merchant said. "They didn't want a Final Four to be in Detroit without them. The pressure's off them now because they're going to be underdogs."
The men's team attended Michigan State's second-round game against Duke and watched Merchant lead the Spartans to a 63-49 win over the No. 1 seeded Blue Devils.
High ticket prices will prevent the women's squad from returning the favor today, but Merchant was sure her players would be watching.
"I know our kids are going to be rooting for them because the programs are really, really tight," Merchant said.
It won't just be the current players paying attention. Merchant said having the men's team playing on the national level will be a tool she uses to bring in the next wave of Spartans.
"It helps recruiting," Merchant said. "Kids are going to hear the name Michigan State this weekend, and that's a positive for us.
"The men's program has become a name. Michigan State is now branded a basketball school and that's all because of Tom's accomplishments. When the men's team has success, it adds to the women's basketball program."
An appearance in last week's Sweet 16 also had to help the women's program, especially after Michigan State gained national attention of its own following the win over Duke.
"They were proud," Merchant said. "But to our players, a lot of the talk was about Duke losing instead of who beat them. That served as motivation. The kids felt a little bit slighted."
The Spartans carried the momentum into the Berkeley regional semifinal against Iowa State. Michigan State led 68-61 with less than 90 seconds to go, but the Cyclones stormed back with eight unanswered points for a 69-68 win and a berth in the Elite Eight.
"We played our best two games of the season," Merchant said of the Duke and Iowa State games. "I'm disappointed with the season ending the way it did because I thought we were just starting to turn the corner."
Michigan State finished the season 22-11. The postseason run came without sophomore point guard Brittney Thomas, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in February.
"I'm very proud of what they accomplished," Merchant said. "(Thomas) was a 40 minute point guard and one of — if not the best defender on the team. I marvel at what the kids were able to accomplish."
And the future looks bright for Merchant and Michigan State, which brings back everyone but Mia Johnson, the lone senior from this year's team.
"Obviously, we are excited because we only lost one player," Merchant said. "But, I feel like it was frustrating, because we got so close to an Elite Eight and playing for a Final Four. I think that's going to keep the kids really, really hungry in the offseason. They tasted it, but couldn't quite touch it. For me as a coach, that's motivation."
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