| Michigan State Spartans men's basketball | |||||||||||||||
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| University | Michigan State University | ||||||||||||||
| First season | 1898 | ||||||||||||||
| All-time record | 1851–1160 (.615) | ||||||||||||||
| Head coach | Tom Izzo (31st season) | ||||||||||||||
| Conference | Big Ten | ||||||||||||||
| Location | East Lansing, Michigan | ||||||||||||||
| Arena | Breslin Center (capacity: 14,759) | ||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Spartans | ||||||||||||||
| Student section | Izzone | ||||||||||||||
| Colors | Green and white[1] | ||||||||||||||
| NCAA tournament champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1979,2000 | |||||||||||||||
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| Conference tournament champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1999, 2000, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2019 | |||||||||||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||||||||||
| 1957, 1959, 1967, 1978, 1979, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2025 | |||||||||||||||
TheMichigan State Spartans men's basketball teamis theintercollegiate men's basketball program representingMichigan State University. The school competes in theBig Ten Conference ofNCAA Division Icollege basketball. The Spartans have won two NCAA National championships, 17 Big Ten Regular Season Championships, and 6 Big Ten Tournament Championships. Their home games are played at theJack Breslin Student Events Center ("Breslin Center") inEast Lansing, Michigan.Tom Izzo has been the head coach since 1995.
Their twonational championships came in the1979 NCAA tournament and the2000 NCAA tournament. The1979 national championship game was the most watched college basketball game in history, with 35.11 million television viewers.[2] The1979 National Championship team was coached byJud Heathcote and included tournament MVPMagic Johnson,Greg Kelser, andJay Vincent. The Spartans defeated the previously unbeatenIndiana State, led by futureHall of FamerLarry Bird. The2000 National Championship team defeatedFlorida in the final. The team was coached by Tom Izzo and led by playersMorris Peterson,Charlie Bell,Jason Richardson, and tournament MVPMateen Cleaves.
The Spartans have participated in 38 NCAA tournaments (tied for 10th-most all-time) and appeared in 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments (the2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic), the second-longest streak ever and the longestactive streak in college basketball.[3] Michigan State has the sixth most all-timeFinal Four appearances with 10 (1957,1979,1999,2000,2001,2005,2009,2010,2015, and2019). The program is also ninth all-time inNCAA tournament winning percentage (.686, through 2023). Michigan State also has 15 NCAA Elite Eights (6th-most all-time), and 22 NCAA Sweet Sixteens (tied for 5th-most all-time with Indiana).
On February 15, 2025, Izzo set the record for most wins by a coach in Big Ten conference play with 354.[4] On March 5, 2025, Izzo moved into a three way tie with Ward Lambert and Bob Knight for the most Big Ten regular season championships, each with 11 championship teams.
The first established coach forMichigan Agricultural College (MSU's name at the time),Charles Bemies was also the first athletic director in school history, while also coaching the football, baseball, and track teams. His two-year stint as basketball head coach ended in 1901. MAC's second basketball coach was George Denman. Denman is the only basketball coach to go undefeated during his tenure, posting an 11–0 mark during his two seasons. His team still holds the record for largest margin of victory with a 102–3 defeat ofAlma College in 1902.[5] MAC's first full-time athletic director and one of the Spartan's most successful coaches,Chester Brewer led the football, basketball, and baseball squads to winning records. He holds the highest winning percentage of any Spartan basketball coach with at least four seasons at .736 (70–25). His team also defeatedMichigan in the schools’ first meeting in 1909. George Gauthier was the first alumnus to lead a Michigan State basketball squad. He compiled a career record of 41–38 over four seasons. Gauthier left after 29 games in 1919– 20, posting a 15–14 record. Lyman Frimodig coached the final seven games of the season, going 6–1. He would also serve as head coach for the next two seasons. He remained active in the athletic department after his stint as basketball coach, servingMichigan State for 41 years as assistant athletic director and business manager.
Benjamin Van Alstyne coached MSU for 22 years from 1926 to 1949. He is third in career victories with 231.Van Alstyne coached MSU's first All-American,Roger Grove, in 1930. Some of his greatest victories included a 27–26 victory overMichigan in 1930 at the dedication ofDemonstration Hall, and a 66–50 upset overKentucky in 1945 that was named “Coca-Cola Upset of the Week.” His 47–45 loss to Kentucky in 1948 set the record for the largest crowd in Jenison Field House history.
In one season underAlton Kircher, the Spartans finished 4–18. Following the conclusion of the 1950 season, the Spartans joined theBig Ten Conference.
Pete Newell was hired fromSan Francisco following a successful four years with the Dons where he went 70–37 and won the1949 NIT. His 1951–52 squad was the first ranked Spartan team and also registered a win over No. 14Notre Dame, the first win over a ranked opponent in school history. One of his biggest wins was a 1952 defeat of No. 2-rankedKansas State. After four seasons,California hired Newell as its head coach and MSU had to search for another coach. Newell is often considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of basketball.[6][7][8]
Forrest "Forddy" Anderson was hired away fromBradley following a trip to the1954 Final Four with the Braves. His Bradley team had also made it to the1950 championship game.
Two years after taking over the Spartans, in 1957, he led MSU to its first Big Ten Championship. After opening the season with a 4–7 record, the Spartans won 10 in a row and 12-of-13 to capture their first league title and advance to the school's firstNCAA tournament. A bye in the first round of the tournament preceded wins over Notre Dame and Kentucky to earn a trip to the Final Four. A loss toNorth Carolina in the Final Four left MSU in the national third-place game where they lost to San Francisco.
Two years later, led by All-AmericanJohnny Green, the Spartans cruised to a Big Ten Championship, winning the league by four games. A win overMarquette in the1959 NCAA tournament put MSU in the Mideast regional finals against Kentucky. The Spartans lost and fell one game short of another trip to the Final Four.
Following his initial successes in East Lansing, his Spartan teams only finished with a winning record one time after 1959. He was fired following the 1964–65 season.
John Benington, who had been an assistant to Anderson at Bradley before joining his staff at MSU, took over as head coach and led MSU to a second-place Big Ten finish in his first season at the helm. Thenext season, he led the Spartans to a shared Big Ten title, butIndiana received theNCAA tournament bid (at that time, only one Big Ten team received an NCAA bid). After four seasons leading the Spartans, he died of a heart attack after jogging at Jenison Fieldhouse in the summer of 1969 at the age of 47.
Gus Ganakas was an assistant under Benington and was hired to take over following Benington's death. His most successful seasons were in 1973–74 with a fourth-place Big Ten finish and 1974–75 with a 17–9 overall record. In1975, 10 black members of his team walked out before a game against Indiana for what was perceived at the time as a racial disagreement over starting a white player.[9] Ganakas was fired in 1976, but he continued to be a part of the Michigan State Athletics Department, serving as an assistant A.D. and then as an aide to coach Tom Izzo from 1998 to 2000. He was an MSU basketball radio announcer until 2017. He died in 2019.[9]
Jud Heathcote was hired to take over as coach in 1976 fromMontana by athletic directorJoseph Kearney in May 1976, after coaching the Grizzlies for five years.[10] Heathcote had led the Grizzlies to twoBig Sky championships and the1975 NCAA tournament, the Grizzlies first ever trip to the tournament. He finished his tenure at Montana with an 80–53 record.
As a virtual unknown, Heathcote came to East Lansing looking to return MSU to greatness.[5] In his second year, he landed one of the game's all-time greats,Earvin "Magic" Johnson, from nearby Lansing Everett High School, as a recruit.[5][10] The1977–78 Spartans won the Big Ten title, their first since 1967, and qualified for theNCAA tournament for only the third time in school history. They advanced to the Elite Eight and were led by Johnson andGreg Kelser. In1979, the duo led the Spartans to a second consecutive Big Ten title and theNCAA National Championship. The NCAA championship marked the school's first in basketball.
Following the championship, Johnson left school to join theNBA and Kelser graduated. The result was aninth place finish in the Big Ten the next year and struggles thereafter. MSU returned to postseason play in1983, finishing with a 17–13 record and receiving an invitation to theNational Invitation Tournament.
Following the expansion of the NCAA tournament to 64 teams in1985, Heathcote returned theSpartans, led by the future MSU all-time scoring leader,Scott Skiles, to the tournament with a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten.MSU again reached theNCAA tournament the following year after finishing third in the Big Ten with a 23–8 record. Led by Skiles andDarryl Johnson, they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before losing.
Heathcote returned MSU to postseason play in1989, led bySteve Smith, losing the third-place game of theNIT. Smith returned theSpartans to the NCAA tournament in1990 as a No. 1 seed. The Spartans narrowly avoided losing to No. 16-seededMurray State, needing overtime to advance to the second round.[11][12] They again narrowly advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before losing toGeorgia Tech in overtime.[13] TheSpartans also made an appearance in the1991 NCAA tournament. The Spartans finished in third place in Big Ten play and received an at-large bid as a No. 5 seed to the tournament where they beatGreen Bay on a buzzer beater by Smith.[14] In the second round, they lost to No. 10Utah in double overtime.[15]
TheSpartans made their third straight trip to theNCAA tournament in 1992. Another third-place finish in Big Ten play resulted in an at-large bid as a No. 5 seed to the NCAA tournament. There they beatMissouri State[16] before losing toCincinnati in the second round in a rematch of an earlier Spartan win.[17]
A trip to theNIT in1993 broke the NCAA tournament streak, but Heathcote again ledMSU to the NCAA tournament in1994. A fourth-place finish the Big Ten led to an at-large bid to the Tournament as a No. 7 seed. Led byShawn Respert, they beatSeton Hall in the first round[18] before losing to second-seededDuke in the second round.
In his final year at MSU in1995, Heathcote returned the Spartans to theNCAA tournament for the fifth time in six years. A second-place finish in Big Ten play resulted in an at-large bid to the Tournament as a No. 3 seed where they were surprised by No. 14-seededWeber State in the first round.[19] The game marked the final game of All-American Shawn Respert's career at MSU.
Heathcote stepped down in 1995 after 19 seasons at Michigan State. He finished with nine NCAA appearances, three Big Ten championships, and three NIT appearances. He hand-picked his successor, Tom Izzo. "I had to orchestrate the hiring of Tom through (trustees) Bob Weiss and Joel Ferguson and the president (Peter McPherson) because most people wanted to open it up and see who would apply. And then some wanted a black coach," Heathcote said in 2014. "But I felt Tom deserved the job because he'd been there 12 years, and he'd gotten better in the job every single year. Tom was a tireless worker and had a passion for the game. So that combination, in my mind, I knew he was going to be a good coach."[10]
In 2001, theNational Association of Basketball Coaches awarded Heathcote with the Golden Anniversary Award for 50 years of service to college basketball. Also, in 2001, he was inducted into theMSU Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2009, Heathcote was inducted into theNational Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tom Izzo took over for Heathcote in 1995 after 11 years as an assistant coach under Heathcote.
Michigan State struggled in the first season with Izzo at the helm and after losing All-American Shawn Respert. The Spartans finished the season at .500 (16–16, 9–9) and in a tie for seventh place in the Big Ten. MSU received an invitation to theNIT where they defeatedWashington before losing toFresno State in the second round. The season marked the last time MSU did not finish with a winning record.
In1997, the Spartans welcomed new recruitsMateen Cleaves andMorris Peterson to East Lansing. Along with sophomore Antonio Smith, the three made up three-fourths of Izzo's "Flintstones" who would win thenational championship in 2000 (without Smith). In what would be a rarity for MSU in Izzo's tenure, the Spartans played no ranked teams in the non-conference season. The Spartans finished in a tie for sixth place in the conference with a record of 16–11 overall and 9–9 in conference. They received an invitation to theNIT for the second consecutive year. MSU beatGeorge Washington in the first round[20] and lost in the second round toFlorida State.[21] As of 2025, this is the last year MSU failed to make the NCAA tournament.
In1998, MSU welcomed freshman recruitCharlie Bell, the fourth of Izzo's "Flintstones" and started slow. They lost to No. 7Temple,[22] and suffered surprising losses toUIC[23] andDetroit in non-conference.[24] However, MSU won nine of their first 10 conference games before losing to eventual conference co-championIllinois. In January, MSU entered the AP and Coaches rankings for the first time since the end of the 1994–95 season.[25] The Spartans finished in a tie for the conference championship, their first since1990, with a record of 13–3 in conference play.[26] Mateen Cleaves was named Big Ten Player of the Year. The Spartans earned the No. 1 seed in the inauguralBig Ten tournament, but lost their first game in the quarterfinals toMinnesota.[26] Izzo's team received an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed in the East Region, their first trip to the Tournament since1995. MSU advanced to their first Sweet Sixteen since1990 by beatingEastern Michigan[27][28] and No. 8Princeton.[29][30][31] The Spartans were eliminated from the Tournament by No. 1North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen.[32]
As the1998–99 season began, Izzo began his willingness to play anyone anywhere mantra as the Spartans played three top seven teams in their first seven games. However, MSU lost all three.[33][34][35] MSU would recover and, after losing their first Big Ten game to No. 24Wisconsin,[36][37] the Spartans won the remaining 15 games in conference and won the Big Ten conference regular season by six games with a record of 15–1, their second consecutive Big Ten title. For the second consecutive year, Mateen Cleaves was named Big Ten Player of the Year. The Spartans won theBig Ten tournament and earned the conference's automatic bid to theNCAA tournament. As the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region and ranked No. 2 in the country, MSU defeatedMount St. Mary's,[38] andMississippi to advance to their second straight Sweet Sixteen.[39] A win overOklahoma[40] andKentucky led MSU to the Final Four for the first time since 1979.[41][42] However, MSU fell short in their bid for an NCAA championship, losing toDuke in the Final Four.[43][44]
In1999–2000. Seniors Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson led the way for the Spartans as they began the season ranked No. 3 in the country. However, Cleaves sustained a stress fracture in his right foot prior to the season which forced him to miss the non-conference schedule and MSU fell to 9–4 and ranked No. 11 in the country. After Cleaves' return, MSU finished the Big Ten regular season with a 13–3 conference record and 23–7 overall while being ranked No. 2 in the country and earned a share of the Big Ten title, their third consecutive Big Ten championship. Peterson was named Big Ten Player of the Year, the third consecutive year a Spartan had received the award. The Spartans went on to win the third annualBig Ten tournament as the No. 2 seed, defeating No. 25Illinois for the championship for the second consecutive year.[45] The Spartans were awarded the No. 1 seed, their second consecutive No. 1 seed, in the Midwest Region of theNCAA tournament. From there, the Spartans cruised to their third consecutive Sweet Sixteen with wins overValparaiso,[46][47] andUtah.[48][49] MSU continued their national championship push by reaching their second consecutive Final Four with wins overSyracuse[50][51] andIowa State.[52][53] MSU won every game by double digits despite playing the best possible seed in each round. In their Final Four matchup, Michigan State faced off against fellow Big Ten foe,Wisconsin, beating them in a hard-fought game, 53–41.[54] In the national championship game, the Spartans triumphed over theFlorida Gators 89–76, despite losing Cleaves to an ankle injury 3:42 into the second half.[55] The win marked MSU's second national championship in basketball and Izzo's first and only championship to date.
Losing both Cleaves and Peterson to graduation following the season, MSU still began the2000–01 season ranked No. 3 in the country. Led by sophomore Jason Richardson, freshmen Zach Randolph, and seniors Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson, the Spartans finished the non-conference schedule undefeated and ranked No.1 in the country. MSU again earned a share the Big Ten title, their fourth consecutive, with a 13–3 conference record. They suffered a surprise defeat byPenn State in theBig Ten tournament in their attempt to win the tournament for the third consecutive year.[56] They received their third consecutive No. 1 seed, in the South Region of theNCAA tournament. Seeking a repeat National Championship, MSU easily dispatchedAlabama State[57] andFresno State[58] to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth consecutive year. A win overGonzaga[59] andTemple led to the school's third straight trip to theFinal Four.[60] However, they were unable to repeat as national champions, losing toArizona in the National Semifinal.[61][62] Following the season, Randolph and Richardson each left school early and declared for theNBA draft.
As a result of Randolph and Richardson's early departure,MSU struggled with Izzo's tough non-conference schedule in 2002. The Spartans lost four games, all to teams ranked in the top 25 and started the Big ten season with three straight losses. The loss toWisconsin snapped MSU's 53-game home winning streak.[63][64] Michigan State finished the conference schedule at 10–6 and in fourth place with an overall record of 19–10. MSU lost in the quarterfinals of theBig Ten tournament to No. 23Indiana marking the first time since 1997 that Michigan State did not win either the Big Ten regular season or tournament title.[65] The Spartans received an at-large bid as a No. 10 seed in theNCAA tournament and were eliminated in the first round byNC State.[66]
Following the disappointment of an early NCAA tournament exit, the first time Izzo's squads had not won at least one game in the NCAA tournament, the2002–03 team played another tough non-conference schedule. This time the Spartans faced three ranked teams, only losing one. However, they suffered four losses and finished the non-conference schedule at 8–4 and ranked No. 25 in the country. MSU began the Big Ten regular season losing four of their first six games and fell out of the rankings. The Spartans finished in a tie for third place in the Big Ten at 10–6 in conference and 18–11 overall. Michigan State beatPurdue in theBig Ten tournament quarterfinals,[67] but fell toOhio State in the semifinals.[68] The Spartans received a bid to theNCAA tournament for the sixth consecutive year. MSU received a No. 7 seed in the South Region. A win overColorado in the first round[69] was followed by a rout of No. 10Florida to reach the Sweet Sixteen for the fifth time in six years.[70] The Spartans defeated No. 17Maryland to advance to theElite Eight for the fourth time in five years.[71] However, MSU fell to No. 5Texas in the Regional Final.[72][73]
In2004, Izzo looked to continue his dominant NCAA run. However, Izzo's penchant for tough scheduling hurt his team as they faced a murderer's row of a schedule which included three straight losses to No. 6Duke, in overtime,[74] to No. 14Oklahoma at thePalace of Auburn Hills,[75] and to No. 8Kentucky atFord Field in theBasketbowl.[76][77] The Spartans followed this losing streak by losing two of their final four non-conference games including at No. 17Syracuse and dropped out of the rankings.[78] They finished the non-conference slate at 5–6. After a loss to open Big Ten play to No. 21Wisconsin,[79] the Spartans recovered to win seven of their next eight and six of their last seven Big Ten games. They finished in a tie for second place in the Big Ten at 12–4 and 17–10 overall. A win overNorthwestern in theBig Ten tournament quarterfinals[80] was followed by a third loss of the season to No. 17 Wisconsin.[81] The Spartans received a No. 7 seed in theNCAA tournament, reaching the tournament for the seventh consecutive year. But, for the second time in three years, the Spartans were knocked out in the first round, this time byNevada.[82][83]
In2005, the Spartans again looked to rebound from a disappointing early NCAA tournament exit. They started the season 3–2, but cruised through the Big Ten, only losing three games, including a loss to No. 1Illinois[84] and finished second in conference to Illinois. MSU finished the regular season with a 13–3 conference record and 22–5 overall while being ranked No. 13 in the country. The Spartans lost in the quarterfinals in theBig Ten tournament toIowa.[85] Michigan State received an at-large bid as a No. 5 seed in the Austin Regional of theNCAA tournament, their eighth straight appearance in the Tournament under Tom Izzo. Wins overOld Dominion[86] andVermont led the Spartans to the Sweet Sixteen for the sixth time in eight years.[86] In the Sweet Sixteen, the Spartans beat No. 3-ranked and No. 1-seededDuke, which MSU had not defeated since 1958.[87] The win marked Izzo's first win over Duke'sMike Krzyzewski (as of 2017).[88] A double overtime victory overKentucky[89][90] sent the Spartans to their fourth Final Four in seven seasons. MSU would again fall in the Final Four, this time to No. 2-ranked and No. 1-seededNorth Carolina.[91][92]
The2005–06 Spartans opened the season with a loss toHawaii[93] before losing to No. 8Gonzaga led byAdam Morrison in triple overtime in theMaui Classic.[94] Despite this, MSU ended the non-conference schedule at 12–2 and ranked No. 7 in the country. Early Big Ten losses followed by late season losses in conference left the Spartans 8–8 in the Big Ten. In theBig Ten tournament, MSU defeatedPurdue[95] and No. 9Illinois[96] before being defeated by No. 20Iowa in the semifinals.[97] The Spartans received an at-large bid as a No. 5 seed in theNCAA tournament, their ninth consecutive trip to the Tournament. In the Tournament, they lost to eventualFinal FourCinderella,George Mason, in the first round.[98] Following the season, Shannon Brown declared for theNBA draft, leaving the Spartans one year prior to graduation, just the fourth player under Izzo to declare early.[99][100]
The2006–07 Spartans began the season 13–2, but were not ranked in the polls. A roller coaster Big Ten season resulted in MSU finishing 8–8 with a win against No. 1Wisconsin which likely assured the Spartans a trip to the NCAA tournament.[101] MSU lost to Wisconsin[102] after beatingNorthwestern in theBig Ten tournament.[103] The Spartans received an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament for the 10th consecutive year and beatMarquette, coached by former Izzo assistantTom Crean, in the first round of the Tournament.[104] A loss to No. 3North Carolina in the second round ended the season.[105]
In2008, MSU finished the non-conference schedule 12–1 and ranked No. 6 in the country with wins over No. 24NC State,[106] No. 20BYU,[107] and No. 4Texas.[108] A hot start to the Big Ten schedule, winning six of seven, was followed by four losses in their next seven which left them in fourth place in the Big Ten with a record of 12–6. As the No. 4 seed tn theBig Ten tournament, they beatOhio State before losing to No. 8Wisconsin.[109] The Spartans received an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament to mark their 11th consecutive trip to the Tournament under Tom Izzo. As a No. 5 seed, the Spartans beatTemple,[110] andPittsburgh to move on to the Sweet Sixteen for the seventh time in 11 years.[111] A rout by a Derrick Rose-ledMemphis ended the season.[112]
By the beginning of the2008–09 season, Izzo's teams, though having great success in the NCAA tournament, had not won the Big Ten regular season title since 2001. A solid non-conference start left them at 9–2 and were ranked No. 10 in the country. MSU routed the Big Ten, winning their first five conference games, their best start in conference since 1978.[113] MSU finished the conference season well, winning theBig Ten championship by four games with a 15–3 record, 25–5 overall, and ranked No. 7 in the country.[114] Following the conclusion of the regular season,Kalin Lucas was named Big Ten Player of the Year[115] and Tom Izzo was voted Big Ten Coach of the Year.[116] As the No. 1 seed in theBig Ten tournament, the Spartans defeatedMinnesota.[117] However, Michigan State's hopes for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament likely vanished as they were defeated byOhio State, 82–70.[118] Michigan State received an at-large bid as the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region of theNCAA tournament, their 12th straight appearance in the Tournament.[119] With wins overRobert Morris[120] andUSC, the Spartans were able to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, the school's eighth trip to the Sweet Sixteen in the previous 12 years.[121][122] MSU advanced to the Elite Eight with a win over No. 14-ranked and No. 3-seededKansas.[123] In the Elite Eight, the Spartans defeatedLouisville to advance to Final Four in nearbyDetroit, only 90 miles from MSU's campus.[124] The Spartans defeatedUConn in the national semifinals to earn their third-ever trip to the national championship game.[125] With Izzo 1–0 in championship games and the Spartans 2–0 all-time,North Carolina scored more points than any team had ever scored in the first half of an NCAA championship game, scoring 55 and blowing out the Spartans 89–72, marking the Spartans first ever loss in the national championship game.[126][127]
In2010, the Spartans finished the non-conference schedule at 10–3. The Spartans began the Big Ten season on fire, winning their first nine games and went on to earn a share of the Big Ten championship with a 14–4 and ranked 11th in the country. As the No. 3 seed in theBig Ten tournament, they were defeated in overtime by No. 6 seedMinnesota in the quarterfinals.[128] The Spartans received an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament, their 13th straight appearance, earning a No. 5 seed in the Midwest Region. A win overNew Mexico State[129] andMaryland led MSU to the Sweet Sixteen for the ninth time in 13 years.[130] However, Kalin Lucas suffered a serious knee injury and would miss the remainder of the Tournament. MSU did not seem to miss him and would go on to beatNorthern Iowa andTennessee to advance to their second consecutive Final Four and sixth in the prior 12 years.[131] In the National semifinal, they were defeated byButler by two points.[132]
The2010–11 Spartans. let by senior Kalin Lucas, finished the non-conference portion of their season 8–4 and ranked No. 20 in the country. However, the Spartans were inconsistent inconference play, suffering nine losses and finishing 9–9 in conference and in danger of missing the NCAA tournament. After beatingIowa[133] and blowing out No. 9Purdue[134] in theBig Ten tournament, the Spartans fell toPenn State in the semifinals.[135] The blowout win over Purdue likely ensured the Spartans inclusion in the NCAA tournament.[134] Michigan State received a No. 10 seed in the Southeast Region of theNCAA tournament, their 14th straight appearance, but the lowest seeding the Spartans had received in the NCAA tournament since2002. MSU fell behind early toUCLA in the second round (formerly known as the first round) and made a furious rally, but fell short, losing by two points.[136] The loss marked only the fourth time MSU failed to win a game in their 14 trips to the NCAA tournament under Tom Izzo.
The2011–12 Spartans, led by seniorDraymond Green, started the season 0–2. However, MSU won the next 15 games in a row to jump into the top ten in the polls. A loss in the regular season finale at home to No. 10Ohio State meant the Spartans shared theBig Ten regular season championship with Ohio State andMichigan, all of which finished the Big Ten season with a 13–5 conference record.[137] In that loss to Ohio State, key freshman reserve,Branden Dawson, tore hisACL, ending his season.[137] As the No. 1 seed in theBig Ten tournament, The Spartans beatIowa,[138] No. 14Wisconsin,[139] and No. 7 Ohio State to win the tournament championship, their first tournament championship since2000.[140] Draymond Green earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors, the fifth time a player had done so under Tom Izzo.[141] Izzo was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year.[141] MSU received a No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA tournament, where they beatLIU–Brooklyn in the first round behind Green'striple-double.[142] The Spartans overcameSaint Louis in the second round to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.[143] This marked the 10th time in 15 seasons that the Spartans advanced to at least the Sweet Sixteen. The Spartans, missing Dawson and struggling offensively, became the first No. 1 seed to lose in the Tournament, falling to No. 17 and No. 4-seeded Louisville.[144]
MSU began the2012–13 season 11–2 and ranked No. 18 in the country with wins over No. 7Kansas andTexas and were led by juniorKeith Appling and freshmanGary Harris. The Spartans remained ranked the entire year while finishing tied for second in theBig Ten withOhio State, with a 13–5 conference record and ranked No. 10 in the country. As the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they beatIowa in the quarterfinals,[145] but fell to eventual tournament champion, Ohio State, in the semifinals.[146] The Spartans received a No. 3 seed in theNCAA tournament, their 16th straight appearance in the tournament. MSU defeatedValparaiso[147] andMemphis to advance to their fifth Sweet Sixteen in six years and their 11th trip in 16 years.[148] However, the Spartans were defeated byDuke, who was led bySeth Curry, in the Sweet Sixteen.[149]
Michigan State began the2013–14 season looking to continue Tom Izzo's Final Four streak: every player who had played four years for Izzo had made at least one Final Four. After beating No. 1Kentucky in theChampions Classic, the Spartans moved to the No. 1 spot in the country.[150] The Spartans held the No. 1 spot for three weeks before losing toNorth Carolina in theACC-Big Ten Challenge.[151] The Spartans cruised through the remaining non-conference schedule, finishing 11–1, to begin theBig Ten season ranked No. 5 in the country. The Spartans won their first seven conference games, but due to injuries toKeith Appling,Adriean Payne, and Brendan Dawson, MSU lost five of their last eight conference games to finish in a second-place tie withWisconsin at 12–6. The Spartans, finally healthy and at full strength, beatNorthwestern,[152] No. 12Wisconsin,[153] and No. 8Michigan to capture theBig Ten tournament championship.[154] This marked Michigan State's fourth tournament championship. Michigan State earned a No. 4 seed in theNCAA tournament's East Region. With wins againstDelaware[155] andHarvard, they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight year and the 12th time in 17 years.[156] They defeated No. 1-seededVirginia in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since2010.[157] There they fell to No. 7 seed and eventual National Champion,Connecticut. With the loss, the Tom Izzo's Final Four streak ended.[158] Shortly after the season, Gary Harris declared for theNBA draft.[159]
In2015, MSU started the season well, but with a shocking loss toTexas Southern at home in overtime, finished the non-conference season at 9–4[160] MSU rallied late in the Big Ten season, winning six of their last eight conference games. MSU finished the season in a tie for third place in conference and got hot in the Big Ten tournament beatingOhio State[161] and No. 8Maryland, before losing to No. 6Wisconsin for the tournament title.[162] The Spartans received an at-large bid in theNCAA tournament as a No. 7 seed in the East Region. The bid was MSU's 18th straight trip to the NCAA tournament. MSU beatGeorgia in the second round[163] and surprised No. 2-seeded and No. 6-rankedVirginia in the Third Round.[164] With the win, the Spartans advanced to their fourth straight Sweet Sixteen and seventh Sweet Sixteen in eight years.[164] Wins overOklahoma[165] andLouisville in overtime gave MSU a trip to their seventh Final Four under Tom Izzo.[166] In the Final Four, the Spartans fell to the eventual National Champions for the second straight season, losing a rematch of theirChampions Classic game toDuke in the National semifinal.[167]
With seniorDenzel Valentine leading the2015–16 Spartans, MSU went undefeated in the non-conference with the school's best start in history and moved to No. 1 in the polls.[168] However, Valentine suffered a knee injury in late December and would miss four games as MSU lost its first game of the season inBig Ten play and fell from the top spot in the polls.[169] Upon Valentine's return, MSU continued to struggle, losing four of their first seven conference games and marking their worst conference start since 2003.[170][171] The Spartans recovered well, losing only one more conference game and finished 13–5 in conference, good enough for second place in the Big Ten. MSU's 26 regular season wins tied the most for a Michigan State team in the regular season.[172] Following the regular season,USA Today named Valentine National Player of the Year.[173] The Big Ten also announced that Valentine was the Big Ten's Player of the Year.[174] As the No. 2 seed in theBig Ten tournament, MSU defeatedOhio State for a third time on the season before dispatchingMaryland andPurdue to win the tournament championship. With the win, MSU set the record for most Big Ten tournament championships with five (Ohio State has also won five, but one has been vacated due to NCAA violations). MSU, ranked No. 2 in the country, learned that it would not receive a No. 1 seed in theNCAA tournament, instead receiving a No. 2 seed in the Midwest bracket. This marked the 19th consecutive year the Spartans made the NCAA tournament. Despite receiving the No. 2 seed, MSU was considered by some the favorite to with the NCAA Championship.[175][176] However, MSU was shocked by No. 15-seededMiddle Tennessee in the first round in what some argued was the biggest upset in NCAA tournament history at the time.[177]
The2016–17 Spartans were decimated by departures from the prior year as seniorsDenzel Valentine,Bryn Forbes, andMatt Costello all graduated and moved to theNBA. FreshmanDeyonta Davis also declared his eligibility for the NBA after the year and sophomores Javon Bess and Marvin Clark transferred out of the program. In all, five of the Spartans' top six scorers from the 2016 team did not return. In response, MSU welcomed their most-heralded recruiting class ever as four top-50 ranked players entered the program:Miles Bridges,Joshua Langford,Cassius Winston, andNick Ward. A young team would look to graduate transferBen Carter and seniorsGavin Schilling and Eron Harris to fill the holes left by departing players. However, Carter and Schilling suffered season-ending knee injuries before the season began and Harris would suffer one late in the season. As a result, MSU struggled up front as Ward at 6' 8" was the tallest on the team. Former walk-on Kenny Goins became the backup big man at 6' 6". Following losses in their first two games to top-10 teams, MSU suffered two other losses to top-20 teams. Bridges missed seven games with a knee injury near the end of the non-conference slate and the Spartans, who started the season ranked as high as 10 in some polls, entered Big Ten play with an 8–5 record. Izzo would lament his early-season schedule which involved trips to Hawaii, New York, and the Bahamas when his young team wouldn't get needed practice time. Wins to start conference play overMinnesota (twice) andNorthwestern, which would prove to be two of their better wins on the season,[178] and Bridges's return had MSU at 4–1 in conference play. However, inconsistency haunted the Spartans[179] as their failure to win road games left the Spartans at 8–5 in conference play with a visit to conference leaders,Purdue. MSU was handled easily by the Boilermakers and Harris suffered his knee injury which appeared to spell the end of MSU's 19-year NCAA tournament streak. However, Bridges, who averaged over 16 points and eight rebounds on the season, and Ward who averaged over 13 points and six rebounds, led the Spartans as they knocked off No. 16-rankedWisconsin to likely seal a trip to theNCAA tournament. A 10–8 conference record left the Spartans in a tie for fifth place. A win overPenn State in theBig Ten tournament preceded a loss to Minnesota, but was enough for the Spartans to get an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament for the 20th consecutive year. As a No. 9 seed, a win overMiami in the first round led to a loss to No. 1-seededKansas and an end to the season. Bridges finished the season with perhaps the second-best freshman season in MSU history (behindMagic Johnson): 16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game.[180][181]
Surprisingly, Bridges opted to not enter theNBA draft and returned to Michigan State for his sophomore year in2017–18. With newcomerJaren Jackson Jr., a consensus top-25 player, joining the team, the Spartans were picked by several publications as the No. 1 team in the country. They began the season ranked No. 2 behindDuke. After a loss to Duke in the second game of the season, the Spartans won the Victory Bracket of thePK–80 Tournament holding No. 9-rankedNorth Carolina to a school-record low for shooting percentage as they shot 24.6% from the field, including 5.6% from three-point land.[182][183] The Spartans won 14 straight games, and ascended to No. 1 in the country. A road loss to surprise Big Ten contenderOhio State followed by a home loss to rivalMichigan dropped MSU in the rankings and shook the team's confidence. However, the team rebounded well, finishing the season by winning their last 12 regular season games, including a win over Big Ten co-leaderPurdue as Bridges took the ball and hit a three-pointer to win the game.[184] On February 17, 2018 while playing atNorthwestern, the Spartans overcame a 27-point deficit to beat the Wildcats, at that time, the fifth largest comeback all-time in Division I history.[185][186] The Spartans finished with a school-record 16 Big Ten wins and their first outright regular season Big Ten title since 2009.[187] The team also finished 28–3, a record for regular season wins. The Spartans fell again to their rival Michigan in the semifinals of theBig Ten tournament and received only a No. 3 seed in theNCAA tournament due to their low strength of schedule. The NCAA trip marked the school's 21st consecutive trip to the Tournament, but following a win in the first round overBucknell, the Spartans fell to 11th-seededSyracuse marking the third consecutive year and first time under Izzo that the Spartans had failed to reach the Sweet Sixteen in a three-year period. The Spartans led the nation in field goal defense, rebounding margin, and blocks. Freshman Jaren Jackson Jr. set the single-season MSU record for blocks and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Bridges was named first-team All-Big Ten and second team All-American. For much of the season, the on-court play was shrouded by reports that surfaced that Tom Izzo's program had covered up sexual assault allegations ten years prior.[188] Izzo refused to comment on the reports due to an ongoing investigation by several agencies including Michigan Attorney General's office[189] and the United States Department of Education,[190] but repeatedly said he had no intention of leaving Michigan State and that he had cooperated with all investigations including the previous allegation of sexual assault in 2010.[191][192] In August 2018 the NCAA cleared Izzo in his handling of the sexual assault allegations.[193] The school was implicated tangentially to theFBI-college basketball scandal as reports surfaced that Bridges had been paid to attend Michigan State, among other allegations.[194] MSU conducted an investigation and presented their findings that the allegations were false to the NCAA, who cleared Bridges, ruling him eligible to play.[195]
Following Bridges and Jackson's departures to the NBA, the2018–19 team began the season ranked No. 10 in the country. The season was dominated by injuries to the Spartans. Starting guardJoshua Langford only played 13 games before missing the rest of the season with a foot injury. Key starter Matt McQuaid missed three games with injury and key reserve Kyle Ahrens missed nine games with back and ankle injuries. With five games remaining in theBig Ten regular season, big man Nick Ward suffered a hairline fracture in his shooting hand and missed the rest of the regular season. He returned in time for the postseason, but was not the same as he struggled to return to the lineup. Despite this, the Spartans earned a share of the Big Ten regular season championship withPurdue and defeated arch-rivalMichigan twice in the regular season. Led by Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus second team All-AmericanCassius Winston, the Spartans also won theBig Ten tournament for the sixth time, again defeating Michigan in the championship game to go 3–0 against their rival. As the No. 2 seed in theNCAA tournament, the school's 22nd straight appearance in the Tournament, the Spartans defeatedBradley andMinnesota to advance to their first Sweet Sixteen in four years. In the Sweet Sixteen, the Spartans blew out No. 3 seedLSU to face top-seededDuke in the Elite Eight. Despite having multiple first round NBA Draft picks, the Spartans knocked off the Blue Devils to earn a trip to the school's 10th Final Four and eighth under Izzo. The win over Duke improved Izzo's record to 2–11 against Duke coachMike Krzyzewski. In the Final Four, the Spartans were upset byTexas Tech, ending the school's bid for a third national championship. Winston led the Spartans, averaging 18.8 points and 7.5 assists per game.
The2020 team started the season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in school history. Senior point guard Cassius Winston was a popular pick as the preseason player of the year. However, shortly before the season, it was announced that Josh Langford had reinjured the foot that had caused him to miss most of the prior season. Langford would not play a game for the Spartans during the season. Due in part to Langford's injury, the Spartans struggled in the non-conference schedule, losing the first game of the season to No. 2 Kentucky before losing twice more in their first eight games and falling to 5–3. MSU also struggled as Cassius Winston dealt with the suicide of his brother, Zachary, on November 10, 2020. Winston did not miss a game due to the tragedy, but did struggle for a portion of the season. MSU rebounded as Winston struggled to return to his All-American form and the Spartans did not lose again until Big Ten play after starting the conference schedule 5–0. The Spartans then lost six of their next 10 games to all but assure they would be unable to win their third straight Big Ten regular season championship. The Spartans rebounded to win their final five games and come from a three-game deficit to earn a share of their third straight Big Ten championship. As the Spartans prepared for the postseason, they were once again a popular pick to win theNCAA tournament. However, the season ended abruptly when all postseason tournaments, including the NCAA tournament, were canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Cassius Winston finished his MSU career with the most assists in Big Ten history and was a consensus second team All-American for the second consecutive year.
In the COVID-19-shortened2020–21 season, MSU began the season well, beatingDuke at theChampions Classic for only the third time under Izzo. MSU finished the shortened non-conference schedule with a perfect 6–0 record and ranked No. 4 in the country. However, things changed abruptly when MSU began Big Ten play. The Spartans lost four of their first six games before pausing team activities for about two weeks due to positive COVID-19 tests in the program. Upon returning to play, MSU lost three straight dropping their conference record to 2–7 on the season and making it seem highly unlikely that they would continue the school's NCAA tournament appearance streak. Four games later, their odds had not improved as they sat at 4–9 in conference and 10–9 overall with seven games remaining. MSU, however, did the unthinkable: five of their last seven games including wins over No. 5Illinois, No. 4Ohio State, and No. 2Michigan to finish the regular season with 15–11 overall record. At 9–11 in the Big Ten, MSU finished with a losing record for the first time under Izzo, but looked safe to move the NCAA tournament streak to 23 straight appearances. A loss in the second round of theBig Ten tournament marked the first time ever that the Spartans would not compete in the quarterfinals and left them on shaky ground for the NCAA tournament. The Spartans received an at-large bid to theNCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed in the South region. For the first time, MSU was forced to participate in theFirst Four, losing toUCLA in overtime.
Looking to rebound from one of the worst seasons in Izzo's tenure, the Spartans began the2021–22 season with a loss to No. 3Kansas. Following the loss, they won five straight before losing to defending national championBaylor. They would not lose again until suffering a home loss toNorthwestern ended their perfect start to conference play leaving them at 14–, 5–1 on the season. They rebounded well in the next game, winning on the road against No. 8Wisconsin, but would lose six of their next nine games to drop to 9–7 in Big Ten play and falling out of the national polls. A win over No. 4Purdue restored likely ensured a trip to theNCAA tournament, but the Spartans dropped two of their last three regular season games, finishing 11–9 in Big Ten play and finishing in a tie withMichigan for seventh in the conference. They beatMaryland in the second round of theBig Ten tournament before beating Wisconsin in the quarterfinals. However, their Big Ten tournament run ended in the semifinals with a loss to Purdue. The Spartans continued their streak of NCAA tournament appearances, extending it to 24 straight seasons as they received an at-large bid as the No. 7 seed in the West region. In the first round, they eked out a 74–73 win againstDavidson, featuring former MSU playerFoster Loyer. In the second round of the tournament, they facedDuke in what would be the final match-up betweenMike Krzyzewski and Tom Izzo due to Krzyzewski's retirement after the season. MSU kept the game close and held a 70–65 with five minutes remaining before Duke outscored them 20–6 to end the game and eliminate the Spartans from the tournament.
The 2022–23 team played their second game of the season on theUSS Abraham Lincoln against No. 2-ranked Gonzaga, but lost by a point. A win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic highlighted the early season. However, MSU was blown out by Alabama and Notre Dame early in the season and lost their first conference game to Northwestern. MSU recovered well, starting conference play 4–1 (12–4 overall) before losing five of their next seven games. A game scheduled to be played on campus on February 15 was canceled due to ashooting on campus the day before that killed four students. The Spartans finished the regular season 19–11, 11–8 in conference play to finish in fourth place. A loss in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament preceded the team's 25th consecutive selection to the NCAA tournament. As the No. 7 seed in the East region, the Spartans defeated USC and upset No. 2-seeded Marquette to earn the school's first Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2019. In a very entertaining game, the Spartans lost to Kansas State to finish their season.
Looking to improve on the previous year's Sweet Sixteen appearance, theSpartans returned all major contributors to the team except Joey Hauser. The Spartans began the 2023–24 season ranked No. 4 in both preseason polls. However, they started the season 1–2 including a loss in the season opener to James Madison. Another loss to No. 3-ranked Arizona and losses to Wisconsin and Nebraska in the early schedule left them at 4–5. They blew out No. 6-ranked Baylor in Detroit. However, the Spartans started the Big Ten season 1–4 before recovering to move to 9–6 in conference by the middle of February. With a win overMichigan on January 30, 2024, his 69th birthday, Tom Izzo earned his 700th career win, all at MSU.[196] However, they lost four of their last five conference game to finish with a 10–10 conference record in a three-way tie for sixth place. As the No. 8 seed in theBig Ten tournament, MSU defeatedMinnesota in the second round[197] before losing to top-seededPurdue in the quarterfinals.[198] The Spartans received an at-large bid to theNCAA Tournament as the No. 9 seed in the West region, extending Izzo's record-setting streak to 26 straight tournament appearances.[199] They easily defeatedMississippi State in the first round before losing to No. 1-seededNorth Carolina to finish the season a disappointing 20–15.[200] The Spartans bounced back from the 2nd round loss the previous year in the NCAA Tournament and finished the 2024–25 season 30–7, 17–3 in Big Ten play to win the regular season championship by three games and finished in the top 10 in the nation in the national polls after starting the season unranked. They defeated Oregon in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament before losing to Wisconsin. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed in the South region for the 27th consecutive tournament, the nation's longest active streak.[1] They defeated Bryant 87-62 in the first round[2] and New Mexico 71-63 in the second round to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.[3] It marked the 16th Sweet Sixteen appearance under Izzo and the school's 22nd overall.[4] MSU defeated Ole Miss 73-70 to advance to the Elite Eight[5] where they lost to overall No. 1 seed Auburn 70-64.[6]
Three Michigan State coaches have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. They arePete Newell (National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2006),Jud Heathcote (National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2009), and Tom Izzo (Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2016). Since 1976, the Spartans have had only two head basketball coaches, Heathcote and Izzo. Heathcote (1976–1995) coached the Spartans for 19 seasons before retiring following the1994–95 season. His hand-picked successor, Izzo, an assistant with MSU since 1983, completed his 25th year as head coach of the Spartans in 2020.
On November 28, 2009, Izzo passed Heathcote's mark of 340 career wins by beatingUMass 106–68.[201] Izzo now leads all MSU basketball coaches in wins with 628 through 2020.[202][203] On March 6, 2022, Izzo surpassedBob Knight for the most wins by a men's basketball coach at a Big Ten school with 663.[204]
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 and 1903 andChester L. Brewer won 70 of 95 games from 1903 to 1910.[202]
| Name | Years | Overall Record | Conference Record | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None established | 1898–99 | 0–2 (.000) | ||
| Charles Bemies | 1899–1901 | 5–2 (.714) | Michigan State's first basketball coach | |
| George Denman | 1901–03 | 11–0 (1.000) | Michigan State's only undefeated basketball coach. | |
| Chester Brewer | 1903–10 | 70–25 (.737) | ||
| John Macklin | 1910–16 | 48–38 (.558) | ||
| George Gauthier | 1916–20 | 47–39 (.547) | ||
| Lyman Frimodig | 1920–22 | 24–20 (.545) | ||
| Fred Walker | 1922–24 | 20–19 (.513) | ||
| John Kobs | 1924–26 | 11–26 (.297) | ||
| Benjamin Van Alstyne | 1926–49 | 231–163 (.586) | Avg. final score increased from 28 to 46 during his tenure[205] | |
| Alton Kircher | 1949–50 | 4–18 (.182) | ||
| Pete Newell | 1950–54 | 45–42 (.517) | 26–34 (.433) | Went on to win the1959 NCAA tournament as head coach atCalifornia; coached the U.S. to the gold medal at the1960 Summer Olympics |
| Forddy Anderson | 1954–65 | 125–124 (.502) | 69–85 (.448) | Guided Michigan State to its first Final Four andNCAA appearance in1957; 2 NCAA appearances; 2 Conference championships |
| John Benington | 1965–69 | 54–38 (.587) | 32–24 (.571) | Conference championship in1967 |
| Gus Ganakas | 1969–76 | 89–84 (.514) | 49–57 (.462) | |
| Jud Heathcote | 1976–95 | 340–220 (.607) | 182–160 (.532) | 1979 NCAA Champions; 9 NCAA appearances; 3 conference championships |
| Tom Izzo | 1995–Present | 737–302 (.709) | 361–173 (.676) | 2000 NCAA Champions,2009 National Runner-up, 8 Final Four appearances; 27 straight NCAA tournament appearances; 11 conference championships; 6 conference tournament championships |
| Total | 1862–1162 (.616) | 715–537 (.571) | 2 NCAA tournament championships, 10 Final Fours, 38 NCAA tournament appearances, 17 conference championships, 6 conference tournament championships |
Through April 1, 2025
Jud Heathcote won three Big Ten titles in his 19 years at MSU. His teams appeared in nine NCAA tournaments, four Sweet Sixteens, one Elite Eight, one Final Four and won one National Championship. After his early success with Magic Johnson and company, Heathcote finished his career strong, appearing in five NCAA tournaments in his final six years. However, he never advanced past the Sweet Sixteen after winning the championship in 1979. His teams also appeared in three NITs reaching the NIT Final Four in 1989.
Heathcote was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1978 and 1986. Heathcote was inducted into theNational Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2009.
Tom Izzo worked as an assistant under Heathcote for 12 years prior to being named his successor. Other assistants who worked under Heathcote went on to head coaching positions:Don Monson (Idaho andOregon),Bill Berry (San Jose State),Mike Deane (Siena,Marquette,Lamar, andWagner),Jim Boylan (Chicago Bulls andMilwaukee Bucks),Jim Boylen (Utah),Stan Joplin (Toledo), andBrian Gregory (Dayton,Georgia Tech, andSouth Florida).
Record by season under Heathcote:[202][206]
SeeMichigan State Spartans men's basketball seasons
Since1995, the team has been coached byTom Izzo, who has an overall record of 727–300 (through February 17, 2025) as the head coach at Michigan State. Izzo coached the Spartans to their second national championship in2000 with an 89–76 victory overFlorida. Izzo has turned Michigan State into a perennial basketball powerhouse.
On March 15, 2019, Izzo won his 600th game.[207] On March 8, 2022, Izzo surpassedBob Knight for the most wins by a men's basketball coach at a Big Ten school with 663.[208] On January 30, 2024, also his 69th birthday, Izzo won his 700th game by beating rival Michigan 81–62.[196] Izzo set the record for most conference wins on February 15, 2025 with 354.[4]
Izzo was elected to theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.[209]
Izzo has guided the Spartans to eight NCAAFinal Fours since 1999, an accomplishment unmatched by any other college basketball program during that span. Izzo has never had a losing season at MSU and has also appeared in a postseason tournament every year he has headed the MSU basketball program: two years in theNational Invitation Tournament and 27 straight appearances in theNCAA tournament. His teams have won 11 Big Ten regular season championships, six Big Ten tournament championships and have reached the Sweet Sixteen 20 times, the Elite Eight 14 times, the Final Four eight times, and played in two NCAA Championship games. His 2000 team won the NCAA National Championship.
Izzo has received numerous awards including the 1998Associated Press National Coach of the Year, the 1998 Basketball News National Coach of the Year, the 1998 United States Basketball Writers AssociationHenry Iba Coach of the Year Award (1998), three-timeBig Ten Conference Coach of the Year (1998, 2009, 2012), the 1998 Basketball Times Mideast Coach of the Year, the 1999 Basketball News Coach of the Year Award, two-time National Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year Award (2001, 2012) and the 2005 Clair Bee Award.[210]
Numerous assistant coaches under Izzo have gone to be head coaches at other schools.Tom Crean, the former head coach atGeorgia, was head coach atIndiana andMarquette for nine years each.Brian Gregory coached forDayton,Georgia Tech andSouth Florida. Former assistant coachMike Garland spent three seasons as head coach atCleveland State following an initial seven-year stint as an assistant at MSU. Former assistantStan Heath was head coach atKent State,Arkansas, and South Florida.[211] Current associate head coachDoug Wojcik was the head coach atTulsa[212] andCollege of Charleston.[213] Longtime assistantDwayne Stephens was named head coach atWestern Michigan in 2022.[214]Mark Montgomery was the head coach atNorthern Illinois from 2011 to 2021 and was named head coach ofDetroit Mercy in 2024.[215] Several former assistants, including Garland, Montgomery, and Wojcik have returned to assistant roles under Izzo after being fired from head coaching positions.
Under Tom Izzo:
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tom Izzo(Big Ten Conference)(1995–2023) | |||||||||
| 1995–96 | Tom Izzo | 16–16 | 9–9 | 7th | NIT second round | ||||
| 1996–97 | Tom Izzo | 17–12 | 9–9 | T–6th | NIT second round | ||||
| 1997–98 | Tom Izzo | 22–8 | 13–3 | T–1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 1998–99 | Tom Izzo | 33–5 | 15–1 | 1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 1999–2000 | Tom Izzo | 32–7 | 13–3 | T–1st | NCAA champion | ||||
| 2000–01 | Tom Izzo | 28–5 | 13–3 | T–1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2001–02 | Tom Izzo | 19–12 | 10–6 | 5th | NCAA first round | ||||
| 2002–03 | Tom Izzo | 22–13 | 10–6 | T–3rd | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 2003–04 | Tom Izzo | 18–12 | 12–4 | T–2nd | NCAA first round | ||||
| 2004–05 | Tom Izzo | 26–7 | 13–3 | 2nd | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2005–06 | Tom Izzo | 22–12 | 8–8 | T–6th | NCAA first round | ||||
| 2006–07 | Tom Izzo | 23–12 | 8–8 | T–7th | NCAA second round | ||||
| 2007–08 | Tom Izzo | 27–9 | 12–6 | 4th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2008–09 | Tom Izzo | 31–7 | 15–3 | 1st | NCAA Runner-up | ||||
| 2009–10 | Tom Izzo | 28–9 | 14–4 | T–1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2010–11 | Tom Izzo | 19–15 | 9–9 | T–4th | NCAA second round | ||||
| 2011–12 | Tom Izzo | 29–8 | 13–5 | T–1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2012–13 | Tom Izzo | 27–9 | 13–5 | T–2nd | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2013–14 | Tom Izzo | 29–9 | 12–6 | T–2nd | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| 2014–15 | Tom Izzo | 27–12 | 12–6 | T–3rd | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2015–16 | Tom Izzo | 29–6 | 13–5 | 2nd | NCAA first round | ||||
| 2016–17 | Tom Izzo | 20–15 | 10–8 | T–5th | NCAA second round | ||||
| 2017–18 | Tom Izzo | 30–5 | 16–2 | 1st | NCAA second round | ||||
| 2018–19 | Tom Izzo | 32–7 | 16–4 | T–1st | NCAA Final Four | ||||
| 2019–20 | Tom Izzo | 22–9 | 14–6 | T–1st | No postseason due toCOVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2020–21 | Tom Izzo | 15–13 | 9–11 | T–8th | NCAA First Four | ||||
| 2021–22 | Tom Izzo | 23–13 | 11–9 | T–7th | NCAA second round | ||||
| 2022–23 | Tom Izzo | 21–13 | 11–8 | 4th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
| 2023–24 | Tom Izzo | 20–15 | 10–10 | T–6th | NCAA second round | ||||
| 2024–25 | Tom Izzo | 30–7 | 17–3 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
| Tom Izzo: | 737–302 (.709) | 360–173 (.675) | |||||||
| Total: | 1,856–1,162 (.615) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
The Spartans have appeared in 38NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments, with a current streak of 27 straight years, with two NCAA basketball national championships. They have appeared in ten Final Fours and sport a 77–37 all-time NCAA tournament record.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Bye | |
| Second round | No. 10Lamar | 95–64 |
| Sweet Sixteen | No. 3LSU | 87–71 |
| Elite Eight | No. 1Notre Dame | 80–68 |
| Final Four | No. 9Penn | 101–67 |
| Championship | No. 1Indiana State | 75–64 |
| Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | No. 16Valparaiso | 65–38 |
| Second round | No. 8Utah | 73–61 |
| Sweet Sixteen | No. 4Syracuse | 75–58 |
| Elite Eight | No. 2Iowa State | 75–64 |
| Final Four | No. 8Wisconsin | 53–41 |
| Championship | No. 5Florida | 89–76 |
The Spartans have appeared in the NCAA tournament 38 times. Their combined record is 77–37.[218]
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National third-place game | Notre Dame Kentucky North Carolina San Francisco | W 85–83 W 80–68 L 70–743OT L 60–67 | |
| 1959 | Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Marquette Louisville | W 74–69 L 81–88 | |
| 1978 | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Providence WKU Kentucky | W 77–63 W 90–69 L 49–52 | |
| 1979 | No. 2 | Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National championship game | No. 10Lamar No. 3LSU No. 1Notre Dame No. 9Penn No. 1Indiana State | W 95–64 W 87–71 W 80–68 W 101–67 W 75–64 |
| 1985 | No. 10 | First Round | No. 7UAB | L 68–70 |
| 1986 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 12Washington No. 4Georgetown No. 1Kansas | W 72–70 W 80–68 L 86–96OT |
| 1990 | No. 1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 16Murray State No. 9UC Santa Barbara No. 4Georgia Tech | W 75–71OT W 62–58 L 80–81OT |
| 1991 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round | No. 12Green Bay No. 4Utah | W 60–58 L 84–852OT |
| 1992 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round | No. 12SW Missouri State No. 4Cincinnati | W 61–54 L 65–77 |
| 1994 | No. 7 | First Round Second round | No. 10Seton Hall No. 2Duke | W 84–73 L 74–85 |
| 1995 | No. 3 | First Round | No. 14Weber State | L 72–79 |
| 1998 | No. 4 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 13Eastern Michigan No. 5Princeton No. 1North Carolina | W 83–71 W 63–56 L 58–73 |
| 1999 | No. 1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | No. 16Mount St. Mary's No. 9Ole Miss No. 13Oklahoma No. 3Kentucky No. 1Duke | W 76–53 W 74–66 W 54–46 W 73–66 L 62–68 |
| 2000 | No. 1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National championship game | No. 16Valparaiso No. 8Utah No. 4Syracuse No. 2Iowa State No. 8Wisconsin No. 5Florida | W 65–38 W 73–61 W 75–58 W 75–64 W 53–41 W 89–76 |
| 2001 | No. 1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | No. 16Alabama State No. 9Fresno State No. 12Gonzaga No. 11Temple No. 2Arizona | W 69–35 W 81–65 W 77–62 W 69–62 L 61–80 |
| 2002 | No. 10 | First Round | No. 7NC State | L 58–69 |
| 2003 | No. 7 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | No. 10Colorado No. 2Florida No. 6Maryland No. 1Texas | W 79–64 W 68–46 W 60–58 L 76–85 |
| 2004 | No. 7 | First Round | No. 10Nevada | L 66–72 |
| 2005 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | No. 12Old Dominion No. 13Vermont No. 1Duke No. 2Kentucky No. 1North Carolina | W 89–81 W 72–61 W 78–68 W 94–882OT L 71–87 |
| 2006 | No. 6 | First Round | No. 11George Mason | L 65–75 |
| 2007 | No. 9 | First Round Second Round | No. 8Marquette No. 1North Carolina | W 61–49 L 67–81 |
| 2008 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 12Temple No. 4Pittsburgh No. 1Memphis | W 72–61 W 65–54 L 74–92 |
| 2009 | No. 2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four National championship game | No. 15Robert Morris No. 10USC No. 3Kansas No. 1Louisville No. 1Connecticut No. 1North Carolina | W 77–62 W 74–69 W 67–62 W 64–52 W 82–73 L 72–89 |
| 2010 | No. 5 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | No. 12New Mexico State No. 4Maryland No. 9Northern Iowa No. 6Tennessee No. 5Butler | W 70–67 W 85–83 W 59–52 W 70–69 L 50–52 |
| 2011 | No. 10 | First Round | No. 7UCLA | L 76–78 |
| 2012 | No. 1 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 16Long Island No. 9Saint Louis No. 4Louisville | W 89–67 W 65–61 L 44–57 |
| 2013 | No. 3 | Second Round Third Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 14Valparaiso No. 6Memphis No. 2Duke | W 65–54 W 70–48 L 61–71 |
| 2014 | No. 4 | Second Round Third Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | No. 13Delaware No. 12Harvard No. 1Virginia No. 7Connecticut | W 93–78 W 80–73 W 61–59 L 54–60 |
| 2015 | No. 7 | Second Round Third Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | No. 10Georgia No. 2Virginia No. 3Oklahoma No. 4Louisville No. 1Duke | W 70–63 W 60–54 W 62–58 W 76–70OT L 61–81 |
| 2016 | No. 2 | First Round | No. 15Middle Tennessee | L 81–90 |
| 2017 | No. 9 | First Round Second Round | No. 8Miami No. 1Kansas | W 78–58 L 70–90 |
| 2018 | No. 3 | First Round Second Round | No. 14Bucknell No. 11Syracuse | W 82–78 L 53–55 |
| 2019 | No. 2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | No. 15Bradley No. 10Minnesota No. 3LSU No. 1Duke No. 3Texas Tech | W 76–65 W 70–50 W 80–63 W 68–67 L 51–61 |
| 2021 | No. 11 | First Four | No. 11UCLA | L 80–86OT |
| 2022 | No. 7 | First Round Second Round | No. 10Davidson No. 2Duke | W 74–73 L 76–85 |
| 2023 | No. 7 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | No. 10USC No. 2Marquette No. 3Kansas State | W 72–62 W 69–60 L 93–98OT |
| 2024 | No. 9 | First Round Second Round | No. 8Mississippi State No. 1North Carolina | W 69–51 L 69–85 |
| 2025 | No. 2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | No. 15Bryant No. 10New Mexico No. 6Ole Miss No. 1Auburn | W 87–62 W 71–63 W 73–70 L 64–70 |
TheNCAA began seeding the tournament with the1979 edition. The Spartans have received a No. 1 seed in five Tournaments. Their average seed in the NCAA tournament is a 4.7. They have been a No. 5 seed the most times (six). The lowest seed the Spartans have received in the Tournament is 11.
Prior to seeding in NCAA tournaments, MSU appeared in the1957,1959, and1978 NCAA tournaments.[219] Since 1979, the Spartans have failed to qualify for the tournament 11 times. They have a current streak of 27 straight appearances in the tournament (as of 2025).
| Years | '79 | '85 | '86 | '90 | '91 | '92 | '94 | '95 | '98 | '99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '09 | '10 | '11 | '12 | '13 | '14 | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeds | 2* | 10 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1* | 1 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 2 |
*Won National Championship
The Spartans have appeared in 38 NCAA tournaments, reaching the Sweet Sixteen 22 times, the Elite Eight 15 times, the Final Four 10 times, and the national championship game three times. They have reached the Final Four three times as a No. 1 seed, three times as a No. 2 seed, twice as a No. 5 seed, and once as a No. 7 seed. They won the National Championship as a No. 2 seed in 1979 and as a No. 1 seed in 2000.
The Spartans have appeared in theNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times. Their combined record is 6–6.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | First Round Second Round | Bowling Green Fresno State | W 72–71 L 58–72 |
| 1989 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals 3rd-place game | Kent State Wichita State Villanova Saint Louis UAB | W 83–69 W 79–67 W 70–63 L 64–74 L 76–78 |
| 1993 | First Round | Oklahoma | L 86–88 |
| 1996 | First Round Second Round | Washington Fresno State | W 64–50 L 70–80 |
| 1997 | First Round Second Round | George Washington Florida State | W 65–50 L 63–68 |
Michigan State has won 17 Big Ten regular-season championships, the sixth-most in Big Ten history.
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Michigan State has won six Big Ten tournament championships since its inception in1998, the most championships in the Big Ten. The Spartans have appeared in seven championship games, only losing the2015 championship toWisconsin. Michigan State had appeared in the quarterfinals of every Big Ten tournament until2021.
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*Through 2023–24 season
Michigan State only has losing records against four Big Ten teams.
| Opponent | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 66 | 63 | .512 | W1 |
| Indiana | 60 | 73 | .451 | L1 |
| Iowa | 77 | 60 | .562 | L2 |
| Maryland | 16 | 8 | .667 | W6 |
| Michigan | 90 | 104 | .464 | W2 |
| Minnesota | 76 | 62 | .551 | L1 |
| Nebraska | 23 | 10 | .697 | L1 |
| Northwestern | 95 | 42 | .693 | W1 |
| Ohio State | 81 | 63 | .563 | W1 |
| Oregon | 2 | 2 | .500 | W2 |
| Penn State | 45 | 10 | .818 | W3 |
| Purdue | 58 | 76 | .433 | W1 |
| Rutgers | 13 | 3 | .867 | W1 |
| UCLA | 4 | 7 | .364 | L1 |
| USC | 4 | 3 | .571 | W1 |
| Washington | 4 | 2 | .667 | W4 |
| Wisconsin | 86 | 69 | .555 | L2 |
| Michigan State Spartans retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Date Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Scott Skiles | PG | 1982–86 | November 13, 1998[222] |
| 12 | Mateen Cleaves | G | 1996–2000 | February 3, 2007[223] |
| 21 | Steve Smith | SG | 1987–91 | January 2, 1999[224] |
| 23 | Draymond Green | PF | 2008–12 | December 3, 2019[225] |
| 24 | Johnny Green | SF | 1955–58 | |
| Shawn Respert | PG | 1991–95 | November 28, 1998[226] | |
| 31 | Jay Vincent | SF | 1978–81 | January 9, 1999[227] |
| 32 | Greg Kelser | SF | 1976–79 | |
| 33 | Magic Johnson | PG | 1977–79 | |
| 42 | Morris Peterson | SG,SF | 1995–2000 | January 17, 2009[228] |
| – | Jud Heathcote | Head Coach | 1976–95 | |
Spartans formerly in theNBA include:
Spartans currently in the NBA, G-League, unsigned, or are active in other professional leagues include:
Tom Izzo's teams have worn many different styles of uniform[229] during his 27 years at Michigan State.Nike, Inc. started making jerseys for the team at the start of the 2000–01 season.
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.[230] The road jersey is green with white uniform numbers and a white custom font "SPARTANS" across the chest.[230] The Spartans do not currently wear an official alternate uniform but the team has worn a silver alternate, a 1979 throwback, a 2000 throwback, and a MAC (Michigan Agricultural College) uniform in the past. The team also wore specially made camouflage jerseys for the 2011Carrier Classic, played on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier againstNorth Carolina. Beginning in the2014–15 season, the Spartans frequently wore their 1979 throwback jerseys as their home uniform. On January 23, 2016, MSU wore specially designed "Mean Green" uniforms.[231] During the 2016–17 season, the Spartans frequently wore the MAC throwback uniforms at home.[232]
The Spartans used the College Gymnasium prior to moving toDemonstration Hall for 10 years.
The Spartans used this building, still in use on campus today, as their home from 1930 to the opening ofJenison Fieldhouse in 1940.
The arena opened in 1940 and was named for alumnus Frederick Cowles Jenison, whose estate, along withPWAP funds, funded the building. The building was the home of the Spartans from 1940 to 1989 when the Breslin Center opened.
The venue is most famous for its1979 NCAA champion basketball team, which includedEarvin "Magic" Johnson, and was coached byJud Heathcote.
Jenison also hosted the1963 NCAA tournament's Mideast Regionals. A plaque outside the arena commemorates one of the 1963 regional semifinals; the "Game of Change," in which asegregatedMississippi State team played and lost to the eventual national champion, anintegratedLoyola team. The losing Maroons (now known as the Bulldogs) had defied a court order prohibiting them from leaving the state to play an integrated team. The game is now seen as a watershed moment in the intersection of civil rights and sports during theCivil Rights Movement.[233]
The building is still in use on campus today.
The Spartans play home games at theJack Breslin Student Events Center on campus. The arena is commonly referred to as "Breslin" and "the Bres", and was opened in 1989. It is named forJacweir "Jack" Breslin, an MSU alumnus, former athlete and administrator, who first began pushing for the arena in 1969. Its capacity is 14,797 seats, and the stadium supersededJenison Fieldhouse.
The arena's current basketball court is the same floor where the Spartans won the2000 NCAA tournament, which was at theRCA Dome inIndianapolis. 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 role in the school's history.[234]
The Breslin Center is home to theIzzone, a large student section named after Coach Izzo, the basketball team's head coach since 1995. The student section had been named Spartan Spirits and Jud's Jungle prior to Izzo's prominence at the school. The Izzone routinely gets mentioned in discussions of the nation's top student fan sections, and in 2006 was ranked as the 4th-best in the country.[235] 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.[236]
The arena underwent a $50 million renovation to improve the visitor experience and to create a Michigan State University Basketball Hall of History.[237][238]
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