Jud Heathcote tribute featuring WSU, Michigan State and Gonzaga officially canceled

Well that was quick.

About a week after announcing that it was trying to work out a two-game tribute to former coach Jud Heathcote at the Spokane Arena -- which included WSU playing Montana -- Michigan State announced Friday that the game was "not happening, officially," according to MSU athletics director Mark Hollis.

Via the Detroit Free Press:

ESPN.com reported today that Washington State had taken care of a scheduling conflict to be able to participate, but the event was shelved for good later in the day.

Scheduling, arena availability and financial arrangements were hurdles. MSU originally tried to schedule the event for opening weekend in November.

"With the logistics of it, with four teams involved and the timing of it," Hollis said, "we just couldn't get it done."

It initially appeared that WSU's maneuvering was the last major hurdle for the Dec. 7 event, but MSU found out last week that it would be hosting North Carolina in the Big Ten/ACC challenge on Dec. 4. The Spartans, who would have been playing Gonzaga in the event, prefer not to play big time games so close together, according to the Free Press.

MSU had been trying to orchestrate the event in November. Here's to guessing they'll try to work it out for 2014-2015 now that everyone's got a little more advance notice.