Riotless Spartans proud of selves

EAST LANSING (AP) - Even the chill of snow flurries in April couldn't dampen the mood here yesterday, one day after the Michigan State men's basketball team won its first NCAA championship in 21 years.

Despite the cold, students crowded around T-shirt vendors who sprouted up throughout town and congratulated themselves for celebrating the victory in a way that - by most accounts - didn't get out of hand.

''People didn't want to have their image tarnished anymore,'' sophomore Dan Bartlett said.

Still, at least one merchant saw shades of the riot that marred the 1999 NCAA Final Four, when partiers shattered windows, lit bonfires and overturned cars after the Spartans lost to Duke.

At a 7-11 convenience store near Cedar Village, an apartment complex known for its raucous parties, revelers began opening beers and filling their pockets with merchandise just after midnight yesterday, assistant manager Jeff Cook said.

''There were so many people you could hardly walk in the store,'' Cook said. ''When we told them to stop, they started throwing 40-ounce bottles at the clerk, so we decided to shut the store down.''

Cook said the store was closed for about three hours. He said he doesn't yet know how much merchandise was stolen.

''If (the basketball team) lost, I was expecting it,'' he said. ''But if they won, I thought everything would be OK.''

It was a far different story a few blocks away at Bagel Fragel. A baker working all night was instructed to call if she saw any problems, but owner Terri Bettinger said everything was calm.

''It was all just minor things like broken beer bottles, which you have every Friday night,'' Bettinger said.

Bettinger, who is head of the East Lansing Merchants' Association, said most of the merchants she talked to agreed that this year's celebration was a positive one.

Police arrested 26 people for misdemeanors, including 13 charges of disorderly conduct and eight charges for minors who were found possessing alcohol.

East Lansing Police Capt. Tom Wibert said the attitude of students seemed to change in the year after the 1999 riot.

''A lot of students were truly embarrassed over what happened last year and their attitude showed it this year. It was a celebration. That was the attitude of the crowd,'' he said.

Bartlett attended both celebrations and said he had a better time this year.

''Last year was unbelievable, but I think this year was more fun because I didn't have to worry about being hit in the head with a beer bottle,'' he said.