"It’s disappointing" - Magic Johnson shares honest feelings as Michigan State's Final Four dreams get crushed by Auburn Tigers

LA Lakers and Michigan State legend Magic Johnson lamented the Elite Eight loss of his college on Sunday on X. Johnson's Spartans fell 70-64 to the Auburn Tigers in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, colloquially known as "March Madness."

Auburn established an early lead against the Spartans, finishing the first half up 33-24. Michigan State tried to mount a comeback in the second half, matching Auburn basket-for-basket. However, it was not enough as they only managed to outscore them by three in the final frame, 40-37.

It wasn't all displeasure on Johnson's part, though, as he also expressed pride in Michigan State's efforts.

"I want to thank MSU Coach Izzo and especially all of the players for an exciting and entertaining season!" Johnson wrote. "It’s disappointing the tournament run has come to an end with this loss to a strong Auburn team, but this season is one that all Spartans fans should be proud of. I can't wait till next season!"

He also included the hashtag "GoGreenGoWhite" while tagging the college in his post.

Auburn advanced to the Final Four, where they are scheduled to take on Florida. On the other side of the bracket, Duke will battle it out against Houston. All four teams are the No. 1 seeds from their regions.

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The iconic rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird began in the NCAA Tournament

The Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird rivalry was an iconic era that dominated the NBA in the 1980s. However, their rivalry began even before they were professionals, dating back to the 1979 NCAA championship game.

That year, Bird's Indiana State blazed through the competition. The Sycamores entered the game with a 31-1 record, compared to Michigan State's 25-6.

Despite the record, Michigan State outscored its opponent 37-28 in the first half. They rode this momentum into the second half to win 75-64. Magic Johnson led all scorers with 24 points. Meanwhile, Bird registered a 19-point and 13-rebound double-double.

That year, Magic entered the NBA draft and was taken first. He finished his college career as a champion, while Bird turned pro without a title.

However, Larry Bird later got a measure of revenge as he denied Magic Johnson two NBA titles. The Boston Celtics won the 1984 and 1986 championships.

Had Bird and the Celtics not prevailed in those years, Johnson and the LA Lakers could have accomplished a five-peat.