When the Michigan State Spartans take on the Virginia Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden Friday night, it will be a fierce battle to advance into the Elite Eight.
But for one tiny Spartans fan, there is an off-court battle that has managed to dominate the March Madness headlines and bring an extra helping of emotion into an already charged tournament.
Her name is Lacey Holsworth. She is an adorable 8-year-old battling neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer that affects the nervous system.
And her heartbreaking story has become inextricably tied to the Michigan State men’s basketball team, because her biggest supporter is Michigan State forward Adreian Payne.
The 6-foot-10 star befriended the young girl two years ago when he and his team visited the Lansing Sparrow Hospital in Michigan, where she was being treated. The pair became fast friends, and then family. She refers to him as her brother or “Superman.” Payne calls her “Princess Lacey.”
“Adreian is my brother. I think of him, and I smile,” she has said.
After the Big Ten Network ran a tear-jerking story about their made-for-Hollywood friendship earlier this month, the story of Princess Lacey and Superman went viral, and one can readily see it going on to the screen — hopefully with a happy ending.
“She’s a special friend,” Payne told the Big Ten Network, “and she’s like a sister to me.”
Their bond grew through her treatments and a subsequent bill of good health. And it deepened even more after her rare disease tragically came roaring back this year.
Payne, a standout senior, has made little Lacey a priority. She was by his side during Senior Night. He also hoisted her high above the rim to help cut down the net after Michigan State won the Big Ten Tournament.
While she won’t be at tonight’s game, her presence will hang heavily over this Sweet Sixteen matchup.
To help support Lacey and her family offset their financial burden, click here.