The
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents
Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
(MSU) and competes in the
Big Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
of NCAA Division I. The team currently plays at the
Breslin Student Events CenterThe Jack Breslin Student Events Center is a multi-purpose arena at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The arena opened in 1989, and is named for Jack Breslin, MSU alumnus, former athlete and administrator, who first began pushing for the arena in 1969. It is home to the Michigan...
. The men's basketball program is considered one of college basketball's elite, an annual NCAA Tournament contender .
Michigan State men's basketball team has a long history that is rich in tradition. The team has won two NCAA championships and 12
Big TenThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championships in men's basketball. The Spartans won the
National ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in both the
1979 NCAA TournamentThe 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah...
and
2000 NCAA TournamentThe 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
. The 1979 National Championship story line was
highly touted as Magic vs. Bird. It was achieved by a team under the coaching of
Jud HeathcoteGeorge Melvin "Jud" Heathcote is a former college basketball coach. He was a head coach for 24 seasons at the collegiate level: five at Montana and 19 at Michigan State...
that included MVP
Magic JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
,
Greg KelserGregory Kelser is a retired American basketball player and current television color commentator. Kelser played in the NBA from 1979–1986 and is best known for his standout career at Michigan State....
and
Jay VincentJay Fletcher Vincent is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward, Vincent played at Michigan State University under coach, Jud Heathcote, where he teamed with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser to win the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
. MSU beat the then undefeated
Indiana State SycamoresThe Indiana State Sycamores basketball is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
, led by future NBA hall of famer
Larry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
. The
2000 National Championship was achieved by
Morris PetersonMorris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
, A.J. Granger,
Charlie BellCharlie Will Bell III is an American professional basketball guard for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.-Career:He began playing basketball at Flint Southwestern Academy High School, and had an excellent college career at Michigan State University, appearing in three NCAA Final Fours, and...
,
Jason RichardsonJason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.A 6'6", 225 lb...
and MVP
Mateen CleavesMateen Ahmad Cleaves is an American former professional basketball player who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager....
leading the team in a victory over the
Florida GatorsThe Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
.
Michigan State basketball has been selected for 14 consecutive NCAA tournament bids (1998–2011) as of the end of the 2010 season, which is the third-longest active streak of NCAA tournament bids, behind Kansas (22) and
DukeThe Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
(16). Overall, Michigan State has been to the Final Four a total of eight times in its history (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2010), which is tied for seventh all time, and has made 25 NCAA Tournament appearances. Only six schools have more total
Final Four appearancesThis is a list of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Final Four appearances by school. Schools whose names are italicized are no longer in Division I and can no longer be included in the tournament. Several teams have vacated Final Four appearances and are marked with an * with...
. The program is also fourth all time in NCAA tournament winning percentage.
On December 13, 2003, Michigan State and
KentuckyThe Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
played at the most-attended college basketball game in history known as the
BasketbowlThe Basketbowl was a college basketball game between Michigan State University and the University of Kentucky held on December 13, 2003 at Ford Field, a domed American football stadium in Detroit, Michigan. The announced crowd of 78,129 set a record for verified attendance at a basketball game in...
. They played this game in front of 78,129 people at
Ford FieldFord Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
, a football stadium converted to a basketball court for this game in Detroit. Kentucky won this game by a score of 79–74.
Coaches
Michigan State coaches have led the Spartans to two NCAA Championships, eight Final Fours, 25 NCAA Tournament appearances, 12
Big Ten Conference ChampionshipsBig Ten Conference men's basketball regular season champions:-Championships by school:* Chicago withdrew from the conference in 1946.** Due to NCAA sanctions, Ohio State has vacated the records of 34 games in 1998-99, 16 games in ‘99-00 and the entire ‘00-01 and ‘01-02 seasons.-See also:* Big Ten...
and two
Big Ten TournamentThe Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
titles. Michigan State has two coaches that are in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame (Pete Newell (class of 2006) and Jud Heathcote (class of 2009)). On November 28, 2009 Tom Izzo passed Jud Heathcote's mark of 340 career wins by beating U Mass 106-68. Tom Izzo now leads all MSU basketball coaches in wins.
Of all MSU coaches who have headed the Spartans basketball squad in at least a dozen games, Izzo is second in winning percentage and no MSU coach tops him since 1910. Former coach George E. Denman won all 11 games he coached between 1901–03 and
Chester L. BrewerChester Leland Brewer was an American football, basketball, baseball, and track and field coach and athletic director...
won 70 of 95 games from 1903 to 1910.
|
|
Overall |
Conference |
|
| Name |
Years |
Record |
Pct. |
Record |
Pct. |
Note |
| None established |
1898-99 |
0-2 |
.000 |
|
|
|
| Charles O. Bemies |
1899–1901 |
5-2 |
.714 |
|
|
Michigan State's first men's basketball coach. |
| George E. Denman |
1901-03 |
11-0 |
1.000 |
|
|
Michigan State's only undefeated men's basketball coach. |
| Chester L. Brewer Chester Leland Brewer was an American football, basketball, baseball, and track and field coach and athletic director...
|
1903-10 |
70-25 |
.737 |
|
|
|
| John F. Macklin |
1910-16 |
48-38 |
.558 |
|
|
|
| George E. Gauthier |
1916-20 |
47-39 |
.547 |
|
|
|
| Lyman L. Frimodig |
1920-22 |
24-21 |
.533 |
|
|
|
| Fred H. Walker |
1922-24 |
20-19 |
.513 |
|
|
|
| John H. Kobs |
1924-26 |
11-26 |
.297 |
|
|
|
| Benjamin F. VanAlstyne Benjamin F. VanAlstyne was an American basketball coach.The Canajoharie, New York native played college basketball, baseball and football at Colgate University, graduating in 1917. Following military service and a year of high school coaching in North Carolina, he became head coach of basketball...
|
1926-49 |
231-163 |
.586 |
|
|
Avg. final score increased from 28 to 46 during his tenure |
Alton S. KircherAlton S. "Al" Kircher was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach.-Coaching career:Kircher began his coaching career at Trout Creek High School in 1935 as the boys basketball coach. He maintained the position until the end of the 1937 season...
|
1949-50 |
4-18 |
.182 |
|
|
|
Peter F. NewellPeter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses...
|
1950-54 |
45-42 |
.517 |
26-34 |
.433 |
Went on to win the 1959 NCAA tournament as head coach at CalThe California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
; coached the U.S. to the gold medal at the 1960 Summer OlympicsThe 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
|
| Forrest A. Anderson Forrest "Forddy" Anderson was an American basketball coach.The Gary, Indiana native served a combined 24 seasons as head men's basketball coach at Drake University , Bradley University , Michigan State University and Hiram Scott College...
|
1954-65 |
125-124 |
.502 |
69-85 |
.448 |
Guided Michigan State to its first Final Four and NCAA appearance in 1957; 2 NCAA Appearances; 2 Conference Championships |
| John E. Benington John E. Benington was an American basketball coach.The Findlay, Ohio native played college basketball for two seasons at the University of San Francisco, where he captained the squad that won the 1949 National Invitation Tournament under Pete Newell...
|
1965-69 |
54-38 |
.587 |
32-24 |
.571 |
Conference Championship in 1967 |
| Gus G. Ganakas Gus G. Ganakas is an American sports broadcaster and former Michigan State Spartans men's basketball coach. He was the head coach there from 1969–76....
|
1969-76 |
89-84 |
.514 |
49-57 |
.462 |
|
| Jud Heathcote George Melvin "Jud" Heathcote is a former college basketball coach. He was a head coach for 24 seasons at the collegiate level: five at Montana and 19 at Michigan State...
|
1976-95 |
340-220 |
.607 |
181-161 |
.529 |
1979 NCAA Champs; 9 NCAA Appearances; 3 Conference Championships |
Tom IzzoTom Izzo is an American college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success....
|
1995–Present |
383-161 |
.704 |
183-85 |
.683 |
2000 NCAA Champs; 2009 National Runner up, Final Four appearances in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, and 2010; 14 straight NCAA Tourney Appearances; 6 Conference Championships; 2 Conference Tournament Championships |
| Total |
|
1,507-1,022 |
.596 |
540-446 |
.548 |
|
The source of this information is the 2007-08 Michigan State men's basketball media guide.
Jud Heathcote era (1976–1995)
Jud HeathcoteGeorge Melvin "Jud" Heathcote is a former college basketball coach. He was a head coach for 24 seasons at the collegiate level: five at Montana and 19 at Michigan State...
led the Spartans to the 1979 national championship and coached one of the game's all-time greats, Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Heathcote succeeded
Gus GanakasGus G. Ganakas is an American sports broadcaster and former Michigan State Spartans men's basketball coach. He was the head coach there from 1969–76....
, who is currently an MSU basketball radio announcer, as coach in 1976. Heathcote stepped down in 1995 with nine NCAA appearances, three Big Ten championships and three NIT appearances.
Results by season under Heathcote:
Tom Izzo era (1995–present)
Since 1995, the team has been coached by
Tom IzzoTom Izzo is an American college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success....
, who has an overall record of 383–161 as head coach at Michigan State. Izzo coached the Spartans to their second national championship in 2000 with an 89–76 victory over
FloridaThe Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
. Izzo has guided the Spartans to six of twelve NCAA
Final FourFinal Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
s from 1999 to 2010, an accomplishment unmatched by any other college basketball program during that span. The coach has also appeared in a postseason tournament every year he has headed the MSU basketball program.
Izzo has also received numerous awards including the 1998
Associated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
National Coach of the Year, the 1998 Basketball News National Coach of the Year, the 1998 United States Basketball Writers Association
Henry IbaHenry Payne "Hank" Iba was an American basketball and baseball coach.-Early life:Iba was born and raised in Easton, Missouri...
Coach of the Year Award, the 1998
Big Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
Coach of the Year, the 1998 Basketball Times Mideast Coach of the Year, the 1999 Basketball News Coach of the Year Award, the 2001 National Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year Award, the 2005 Clair Bee Award and the 2009 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year.
Izzo has also helped his assistants secure head coaching jobs across the basketball world. Five current Division I head coaches served as assistants under Izzo:
Brian Gregory at Georgia Tech, Tom Crean at
IndianaThe Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
,
Stan HeathStanley Heath, III is the head men's basketball coach at the University of South Florida Bulls...
at South Florida,
Mark MontgomeryMark Anthony Montgomery is an American entrepreneur best known for his early use of B2C marketing and e-commerce channels in the entertainment industry...
at
Northern IllinoisNorthern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
, and
Doug Wojcik-References:...
at Tulsa. Current assistant coach
Mike GarlandMike Garland is a former head basketball coach at Cleveland State University. Before being named head coach at Cleveland State he was an assistant at Michigan State under current head coach Tom Izzo. He was named Cleveland State head coach on April 17, 2003. He was relieved of his coaching duties...
spent three seasons as head coach at
Cleveland StateCleveland State Vikings men's basketball started in 1929. Before as Fenn College they were known as the Fenn College Foxes. Cleveland State has been in Division I since 1972. They are a member of the Horizon League Cleveland State was formerly in the Mid-Continent Conference...
following an initial seven-year stint at MSU. Former MSU assistant
Stan JoplinStan Joplin is a former head men's basketball coach at the University of Toledo from 1996 to 2008.-Playing career:Joplin played guard at the University of Toledo from 1975–79. He was named to the second-team All-MAC for the 1977–78 and 1978–79 seasons...
had previously coached at
ToledoThe Toledo Rockets team is the basketball team that represent the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1980. Stan Joplin was released from his duties as...
until he was let go following the 2007–08 season.
Results by season under Izzo:
Players
| Retired basketball jerseys |
| Number |
Player |
Years |
| 4 |
Scott Skiles Scott Allen Skiles is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and former American professional basketball player. He also is the former head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Skiles holds the NBA record for assists in one game, with 30...
|
1982–1986 |
| 12 |
Mateen Cleaves Mateen Ahmad Cleaves is an American former professional basketball player who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager....
|
1996–2000 |
| 21 |
Steve SmithSteven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
|
1987–1991 |
| 24 |
Johnny Green John M. Green is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'5" power forward/center from Michigan State University, Green spent 14 seasons in the NBA, playing for the New York Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, San Diego Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Cincinnati Royals, and Kansas City-Omaha Kings...
|
1955–1958 |
| 24 |
Shawn Respert Shawn Christopher Respert is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'1", 195 lb. shooting guard, he attended Bishop Borgess High School, and he came to prominence while playing college basketball at Michigan State University where his jersey is now retired...
|
1991–1995 |
| 31 |
Jay Vincent Jay Fletcher Vincent is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward, Vincent played at Michigan State University under coach, Jud Heathcote, where he teamed with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser to win the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
|
1978–1981 |
| 32 |
Greg KelserGregory Kelser is a retired American basketball player and current television color commentator. Kelser played in the NBA from 1979–1986 and is best known for his standout career at Michigan State....
|
1976–1979 |
| 33 |
Earvin "Magic" Johnson |
1977–1979 |
| 42 |
Morris PetersonMorris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
|
1995–2000 |
| Coach |
Jud Heathcote George Melvin "Jud" Heathcote is a former college basketball coach. He was a head coach for 24 seasons at the collegiate level: five at Montana and 19 at Michigan State...
|
1976–1995 |
Spartans formerly or currently in the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
include
Maurice AgerMaurice Darnell Ager is an American professional basketball player. He played collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans from 2002 until 2006...
, Alan Anderson,
Charlie BellCharlie Will Bell III is an American professional basketball guard for the Golden State Warriors of the NBA.-Career:He began playing basketball at Flint Southwestern Academy High School, and had an excellent college career at Michigan State University, appearing in three NCAA Final Fours, and...
,
Shannon BrownShannon Brown is an American professional basketball player who plays at the shooting guard and point guard positions. He last played in the National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr...
,
Mateen CleavesMateen Ahmad Cleaves is an American former professional basketball player who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager....
,
Erazem LorbekErazem Lorbek is a Slovenian professional basketball player. He is a forward-center who currently plays with the Liga ACB club FC Barcelona.-Pro career:...
,
Paul DavisPaul Davis is an American professional basketball player. Davis started his career at Reuther Middle School where his number has been retired. Davis played for Rochester High School, earning Mr. Basketball of Michigan honors in 2002. As a center for the Michigan State Spartans, he finished the...
,
Terry FurlowTerry Furlow was an American basketball player. Furlow was a 6-foot-4-inch shooting guard from Flint, Michigan. He played collegiately at Michigan State. In 1975-76, as a senior, he led the Big Ten in scoring, and finished his career at MSU with 1717 points – which places him seventh on the...
,
Jamie FeickJamie Feick is retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round of the 1996 NBA Draft. A 6'9" center from Michigan State University, Feick played in five NBA seasons from 1996 to 2001...
,
Earvin "Magic" JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
,
Greg KelserGregory Kelser is a retired American basketball player and current television color commentator. Kelser played in the NBA from 1979–1986 and is best known for his standout career at Michigan State....
,
Drew NaymickDrew Naymick is an American professional basketball player with the ČEZ Nymburk of the Czech basketball league. He played collegiately at Michigan State...
Morris PetersonMorris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
,
Zach RandolphZachary Randolph , nicknamed Z-Bo, is an American professional basketball player currently with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA...
,
Shawn RespertShawn Christopher Respert is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'1", 195 lb. shooting guard, he attended Bishop Borgess High School, and he came to prominence while playing college basketball at Michigan State University where his jersey is now retired...
,
Jason RichardsonJason Anthoney "J-Rich" Richardson is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association.A 6'6", 225 lb...
,
Scott SkilesScott Allen Skiles is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and former American professional basketball player. He also is the former head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Skiles holds the NBA record for assists in one game, with 30...
,
Steve SmithSteven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
,
Eric SnowEric Snow is a retired American professional basketball player and businessman. He is now an analyst on NBA TV and an announcer for the Philadelphia 76ers.-High school career:...
,
Sam VincentJames Samuel "Sam" Vincent is a retired American professional basketball player and the former head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats. In 2008 Sam was named the head coach of the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Developmental league.Vincent won the State of Michigan "Mr. Basketball" award in 1981, the...
,
Jay VincentJay Fletcher Vincent is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward, Vincent played at Michigan State University under coach, Jud Heathcote, where he teamed with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser to win the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
and
Kevin WillisKevin Alvin Willis is a former American professional basketball player who last played for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He is a 7-foot power forward/center...
. Former Spartan Robin Roberts played Major League Baseball and was inducted into the
Baseball Hall of FameThe National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
.
Johnny GreenJohn M. Green is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'5" power forward/center from Michigan State University, Green spent 14 seasons in the NBA, playing for the New York Knicks, Baltimore Bullets, San Diego Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Cincinnati Royals, and Kansas City-Omaha Kings...
,
Greg KelserGregory Kelser is a retired American basketball player and current television color commentator. Kelser played in the NBA from 1979–1986 and is best known for his standout career at Michigan State....
,
Magic JohnsonEarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
,
Jay VincentJay Fletcher Vincent is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'7" forward, Vincent played at Michigan State University under coach, Jud Heathcote, where he teamed with Magic Johnson and Greg Kelser to win the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
,
Scott SkilesScott Allen Skiles is the head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and former American professional basketball player. He also is the former head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns. Skiles holds the NBA record for assists in one game, with 30...
,
Steve SmithSteven Delano "Steve" Smith is a retired American basketball player. He played with several teams in his 14-season National Basketball Association career, including the Miami Heat, the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs, but is perhaps best known for his five-year stint with the...
,
Shawn RespertShawn Christopher Respert is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'1", 195 lb. shooting guard, he attended Bishop Borgess High School, and he came to prominence while playing college basketball at Michigan State University where his jersey is now retired...
,
Morris PetersonMorris Peterson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent.- College career :...
, and
Mateen CleavesMateen Ahmad Cleaves is an American former professional basketball player who played in six NBA seasons. He is currently a music talent manager....
are all former student athletes who have had their jersey number retired by Michigan State. The school also has raised a banner to the rafters honoring former coach
Jud HeathcoteGeorge Melvin "Jud" Heathcote is a former college basketball coach. He was a head coach for 24 seasons at the collegiate level: five at Montana and 19 at Michigan State...
.
2011–2012 roster
- 0 Russell Byrd, FR (rs)
- 2 Alex Gauna, FR (rs)
- 3 Brandan Kearney, FR
- 5 Adreian Payne, SO
- 11 Keith Appling, SO
- 13 Austin Thornton, SR (rs)
- 14 Dan Champman, SO
- 15 Keenan Wetzel, FR (rs)
- 20 Travis Trice, FR
- 22 Branden Dawson, FR
- 23 Draymond Green, SR
- 25 Derrick Nix, JR
- 30 Brandon Wood, SR (rs)
- 44 Anthony Ianni, SR
Postseason history
The Spartans have appeared in 25 NCAA men's basketball tournaments with 2 NCAA men's basketball national championships. They also count 8 Final Fours and sport a 52-22 all-time NCAA tournament record following their most recent performance the 2010 NCAA tournament. Michigan State has been in the Sweet Sixteen 9 of the last 13 years. Michigan St. has outperformed their tournament seed more than any other team in Division I basketball. Only Duke has more appearances. They also have appeared in 7 of the last 12 Elite Eights. As well, 6 of the last 12 Final Fours, in which no other team has accomplished this mark. MSU has accepted a bid to the
National Invitation TournamentThe National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
five times, the most recent being in 1997.
National championships
1979 NCAA Tournament Results
| Round |
Opponent |
Score |
| Round #1 |
Bye |
|
| Round #2 |
# 10 LamarLamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
|
95-64 |
| Sweet 16 |
# 3 LSU |
87-71 |
| Elite 8 |
# 1 Notre DameThe Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. The program competes in the Big East Conference of NCAA Division I. The school holds two national championships in...
|
80-68 |
| Final 4 |
# 9 Penn |
101-67 |
| Championship |
# 1 Indiana State The Indiana State Sycamores basketball is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
|
75-64 |
2000 NCAA Tournament Results
| Round |
Opponent |
Score |
| Round #1 |
# 16 ValparaisoThe Valparaiso Crusaders Basketball team is the basketball team that represent Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. The school's team currently competes in the Horizon League. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2004. The Crusaders are currently...
|
65-38 |
| Round #2 |
# 8 Utah The University of Utah Utes have consistently been one of the most successful basketball programs in the NCAA. They are currently an NCAA Division I program that plays in the Pacific-12 Conference. The school has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times, which ranks 16th in NCAA history and 3rd behind...
|
73-61 |
| Sweet 16 |
# 4 SyracuseThe Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
|
75-58 |
| Elite 8 |
# 2 Iowa State The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team represents Iowa State University and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.-Johnny Orr era :...
|
75-64 |
| Final 4 |
# 8 Wisconsin The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....
|
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# 5 FloridaThe Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
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89-76 |
NCAA Tournament history & seeds
The NCAAThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
began seeding the tournament with the 1979 editionThe 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah...
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'79 The 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 40 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1979, and ended with the championship game on March 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah...
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'85 The 1985 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. This was the first year the field was expanded to 64 teams, from 53 in the previous year's tournament. It began...
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'86 The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas...
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'90 The 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado...
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'91 The 1991 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 14, 1991, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
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'92 The 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
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'94 The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
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'95 The 1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1995, and ended with the championship game on April 3 at the Kingdome in Seattle,...
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'98 The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
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'99 The 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1999, and ended with the championship game on March 29 at Tropicana Field in St....
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'00The 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
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'01The 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 2001 with the play-in game, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in...
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'02The 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 2002, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia...
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'03The 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 18, 2003, and ended with the championship game on April 7 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
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'04The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
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'05The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
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'06The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
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'07The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
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'08The 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2007–08 basketball season...
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'09The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
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'10The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
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'11The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
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Prior to seeding MSU appeared in the 1957, 1959 and 1978 NCAA Tournaments.
National Invitation Tournament appearances
The Spartans have played in the 1983, 1989, 1993, 1996 and 1997 NIT Tournaments. MSU's highest finish in the tournament is fourth place, which was accomplished in 1989.
Uniforms
Tom Izzo's teams have worn
five different styles of jerseys during his fifteen years at Michigan State.
The current home jersey, introduced as part of a rebranding effort by the athletic department in April 2010, is white with green uniform numbers and a green custom font "SPARTANS" across the chest. The road jersey is green with white uniform numbers and a white custom font "SPARTANS" across the chest. The Spartans do not currently wear an official alternate uniform but the team has worn a silver alternate and a 1979 throwback uniform in the past.
Nike, Inc.Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
started making jerseys for the team at the start of the 2000-01 season.
Home court
The Spartans play home games at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center on campus in
East Lansing, MichiganEast Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
. The arena is commonly referred to as "the Breslin" and "the Bres", and was opened in 1989. It is named for Jack Breslin, an MSU alumnus, former athlete and administrator, who first began pushing for the arena in 1969. Its capacity is 16,280 seats, and the stadium superseded
Jenison FieldhouseJenison Fieldhouse is a 10,004 seat, later reduced to 6,000 seat multi-purpose arena in East Lansing, Michigan. The arena opened in 1940 and was named for alumnus Frederick Cowles Jenison, whose estate, along with PWAP funds, funded the building...
.
The arena's current basketball court is the same floor where the Spartans won the
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, which was at the
RCA DomeRCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
in
IndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. The school purchased the floor from the NCAA and Final Four floor installer Horner Flooring after the title game. A plaque was installed on the baseline near the Michigan State tunnel to commemorate the floor's purpose in the school's history.
The Breslin Center is home to the
IzzoneThe Izzone is the Michigan State University men's basketball team student section organized and run by the Student Alumni Foundation at Michigan State University. Named after head coach Tom Izzo, the Izzone consists of nearly 4,000 members, seated in both the lower and upper bowls of the Breslin...
, a large student section named after Coach Izzo, the basketball team's head coach since 1995. The student section had been named Spartan Spirits prior to Izzo's prominence at the school. The Izzone routinely gets mentioned in discussions of the nation's top student fan sections. The Izzone was mentioned as the 3rd best in the land The section helped cheer the Spartans to a 53-game home win streak between 1998 and 2002 and also a 28 game winning streak from 2007 and 2009.
See Also
External links