Winnetka couple Sid and Laura Glenn never expected to be rivals. 

That is until their alma maters faced off in an NCAA Final Four game April 6 in Minneapolis. 

“I think the instant reaction when we realized they were going to play each other was, ‘This is never going to happen again, we’ve got to get tickets and we have to go,’” said Laura, who graduated from Michigan State University.

“Laura and I had been to a couple Super Bowls; we’ve been to big sporting events, but never a Final Four,” added Sid, a graduate of Texas Tech University. “And then plus to have our alma maters there, especially me who from Texas Tech, we’ve never been to the Final Four, it was just the bucket list. I was excited to be able to share that with Laura and Michigan State.”

The two road tripped to Minnesota for the tournament’s last weekend, making it to Minneapolis Saturday afternoon in time for the semifinal game featuring their Spartans and Red Raiders.

As many would expect, the town was full of fans from Texas Tech and Michigan State, plus Auburn University and the University of Virginia, the other two schools that played in the Final Four. It wasn’t just that fans were everywhere — they were all enjoying themselves and sharing their love for their alma mater, the couple told The Current.

“The Super Bowl leans toward being more corporate. This was like a passion, a love and a history of your school, and you know being there for these young men that had put a lot in are seeing the Final Four for their first time,” Laura said. 

One thing the couple didn’t expect is each team had their home hotel, Sid said, and they’re all right next to each other. 

“So as you’re milling about downtown Minneapolis, you see these groups of fans that are doing your college cheers and then you got people on each side of the street going back and forth,” he added. “And whether it’s, ‘Go Green! Go White!’ or ‘Raider Power!’ it is a lot of college enthusiasm that you really haven’t reached. For us, we haven’t seen that since we went to college — so truly exiting.”

Texas Tech ultimately won the semifinal game versus Michigan State 61-51, propelling it to its first-ever NCAA Tournament Championship Game. Unfortunately for the Red Raiders ­— and for Sid — they lost a heartbreaker to Virginia, 85-77, in overtime.

Even though her team didn’t win, the experience was great for both Laura and Sid — even if Laura did need to wear Texas Tech colors the rest of the weekend.

The couple also got to sightsee while they were in town. On Sunday, they went around Minneapolis to see the town and its surroundings, have dinner at a nice restaurant, and also have a moment to remember on Monday.

“Sid on Monday waited for the Texas Tech fans to come and urge us players, the team to come out from the hotel,” Laura said. “He was in one of those sky bridge bridges. … So he was watching where he could look down and see the players come out of the hotel and get onto the bus to go to the game.”

The couple, who have been married for 28 years and lived in Winnetka for the past 21, did have one bet that stood: The loser would have to attend the sporting event of the winner’s school in the next year, plus wear all the colors of the winning team. The two aren’t sure whether it will be a football or basketball game yet, but they do know one thing. 

“Having Laura hop down to Lubbock, Texas in her Red Raider gear is going to be a lot of fun next year.”