Michigan State Spartans men's basketball

Team history

1898–1954: early years

The first established coach for Michigan 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 of Alma College in 1902. 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 defeated Michigan 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, serving Michigan 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 over Michigan in 1930 at the dedication of Demonstration Hall, and a 66–50 upset over Kentucky 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 under Alton Kircher, the Spartans finished 4–18. Following the conclusion of the 1950 season, the Spartans joined the Big Ten Conference.

Pete Newell was hired from San Francisco following a successful four years with the Dons where he went 70–37 and won the 1949 NIT. His 1951–52 squad was the first ranked Spartan team and also registered a win over No. 14 Notre Dame, the first win over a ranked opponent in school history. One of his biggest wins was a 1952 defeat of No. 2-ranked Kansas 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.

1954–1965: Forrest "Forddy" Anderson era

Forrest "Forddy" Anderson was hired away from Bradley following a trip to the 1954 Final Four with the Braves. His Bradley team had also made it to the 1950 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 first NCAA 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 to North 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-American Johnny Green, the Spartans cruised to a Big Ten Championship, winning the league by four games. A win over Marquette in the 1959 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.

1965–1976: post-Anderson era

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. The next season, he led the Spartans to a shared Big Ten title, but Indiana received the NCAA 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. In 1975, 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. 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.

1976–1995: Jud Heathcote era

Jud Heathcote was hired to take over as coach in 1976 from Montana by athletic director Joseph Kearney in May 1976, after coaching the Grizzlies for five years. Heathcote had led the Grizzlies to two Big Sky championships and the 1975 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. 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. The 1977–78 Spartans won the Big Ten title, their first since 1967, and qualified for the NCAA tournament for only the third time in school history. They advanced to the Elite Eight and were led by Johnson and Greg Kelser. In 1979, the duo led the Spartans to a second consecutive Big Ten title and the NCAA National Championship. The NCAA championship marked the school's first in basketball.

Following the championship, Johnson left school to join the NBA and Kelser graduated. The result was a ninth place finish in the Big Ten the next year and struggles thereafter. MSU returned to postseason play in 1983, finishing with a 17–13 record and receiving an invitation to the National Invitation Tournament.

Following the expansion of the NCAA tournament to 64 teams in 1985, Heathcote returned the Spartans, 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 the NCAA tournament the following year after finishing third in the Big Ten with a 23–8 record. Led by Skiles and Darryl Johnson, they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before losing.

Heathcote returned MSU to postseason play in 1989, led by Steve Smith, losing the third-place game of the NIT. Smith returned the Spartans to the NCAA tournament in 1990 as a No. 1 seed. The Spartans narrowly avoided losing to No. 16-seeded Murray State, needing overtime to advance to the second round. They again narrowly advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before losing to Georgia Tech in overtime. The Spartans also made an appearance in the 1991 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 beat Green Bay on a buzzer beater by Smith. In the second round, they lost to No. 10 Utah in double overtime.

1995–present: Tom Izzo era

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 the NIT where they defeated Washington before losing to Fresno State in the second round. The season marked the last time MSU did not finish with a winning record.

In 1997, the Spartans welcomed new recruits Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson to East Lansing. Along with sophomore Antonio Smith, the three made up three-fourths of Izzo's "Flintstones" who would win the national 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 the NIT for the second consecutive year. MSU beat George Washington in the first round and lost in the second round to Florida State. As of 2026, this is the last year MSU failed to make the NCAA tournament.

In 1998, MSU welcomed freshman recruit Charlie Bell, the fourth of Izzo's "Flintstones" and started slow. They lost to No. 7 Temple, and suffered surprising losses to UIC and Detroit in non-conference. However, MSU won nine of their first 10 conference games before losing to eventual conference co-champion Illinois. In January, MSU entered the AP and Coaches rankings for the first time since the end of the 1994–95 season. The Spartans finished in a tie for the conference championship, their first since 1990, with a record of 13–3 in conference play. Mateen Cleaves was named Big Ten Player of the Year. The Spartans earned the No. 1 seed in the inaugural Big Ten tournament, but lost their first game in the quarterfinals to Minnesota. Izzo's team received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as a No. 4 seed in the East Region, their first trip to the Tournament since 1995. MSU advanced to their first Sweet Sixteen since 1990 by beating Eastern Michigan and No. 8 Princeton. The Spartans were eliminated from the Tournament by No. 1 North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen.

As the 1998–99 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. MSU recovered and, after losing their first Big Ten game to No. 24 Wisconsin, 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 the Big Ten tournament and earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region and ranked No. 2 in the country, MSU defeated Mount St. Mary's, and Mississippi to advance to their second straight Sweet Sixteen. A win over Oklahoma and Kentucky led MSU to the Final Four for the first time since 1979. However, MSU fell short in their bid for an NCAA championship, losing to Duke in the Final Four.

Coaches

Three Michigan State coaches have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. They are Pete 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 the 1994–95 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 beating UMass 106–68. On March 6, 2022, Izzo surpassed Bob Knight for the most wins by a men's basketball coach at a Big Ten school with 663. With a win over Illinois on February 15, 2025, Izzo passed Knight for the most wins in conference history with 354. With a win over USC on January 5, 2026, Izzo earned his 750th career victory. Izzo now leads all MSU basketball coaches in wins with 764 through 2026.

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 and Chester L. Brewer won 70 of 95 games from 1903 to 1910.

Through April 23, 2026

Jud Heathcote

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 the National 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 and Oregon), Bill Berry (San Jose State), Mike Deane (Siena, Marquette, Lamar, and Wagner), Jim Boylan (Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks), Jim Boylen (Utah), Stan Joplin (Toledo), and Brian Gregory (Dayton, Georgia Tech, and South Florida).

Record by season under Heathcote:

See Michigan State Spartans men's basketball seasons

Tom Izzo

Since 1995, the team has been coached by Tom 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 in 2000 with an 89–76 victory over Florida. Izzo has turned Michigan State into a perennial basketball powerhouse.

On March 15, 2019, Izzo won his 600th game. On March 8, 2022, Izzo surpassed Bob Knight for the most wins by a men's basketball coach at a Big Ten school, with 663. On January 30, 2024, also his 69th birthday, Izzo won his 700th game by beating rival Michigan 81–62. Izzo set the record for most conference wins on February 15, 2025, with 354.

Izzo was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Izzo has guided the Spartans to eight NCAA Final 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 the National Invitation Tournament and 28 straight appearances in the NCAA 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 1998 Associated Press National Coach of the Year, the 1998 Basketball News National Coach of the Year, the 1998 United States Basketball Writers Association Henry Iba Coach of the Year Award (1998), four-time Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year (1998, 2009, 2012, 2025), 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.

Numerous assistant coaches under Izzo have gone to be head coaches at other schools. Tom Crean, the former head coach at Georgia, was head coach at Indiana and Marquette for nine years each. Brian Gregory coached for Dayton, Georgia Tech and South Florida. Former assistant coach Mike Garland spent three seasons as head coach at Cleveland State following an initial seven-year stint as an assistant at MSU. Former assistant Stan Heath was head coach at Kent State, Arkansas, and South Florida. Current associate head coach Doug Wojcik was the head coach at Tulsa and College of Charleston. Longtime assistant Dwayne Stephens was named head coach at Western Michigan in 2022. Mark Montgomery was the head coach at Northern Illinois from 2011 to 2021 and was named head coach of Detroit Mercy in 2024. Several former assistants, including Garland, Montgomery, and Wojcik have returned to assistant roles under Izzo after being fired from head coaching positions.

Season-by-season results

Under Tom Izzo:

Postseason history

NCAA tournament

The Spartans have appeared in 39 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments, with a current streak of 28 straight years, with two NCAA basketball national championships. They have appeared in ten Final Fours and sport a 78–38 all-time NCAA tournament record.

The Spartans have appeared in the NCAA tournament 39 times. Their combined record is 78–38.

The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1979 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 the 1957, 1959, and 1978 NCAA tournaments. Since 1979, the Spartans have failed to qualify for the tournament 11 times. They have a current streak of 28 straight appearances in the tournament (as of 2026).

*Won National Championship

The Spartans have appeared in 39 NCAA tournaments, reaching the Sweet Sixteen 23 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.

NIT results

The Spartans have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times. Their combined record is 6–6.

Big Ten regular-season championships

Michigan State has won 17 Big Ten regular-season championships, the sixth-most in Big Ten history.

Big Ten tournament championships

Michigan State has won six Big Ten tournament championships since its inception in 1998, the most championships in the Big Ten. The Spartans have appeared in seven championship games, only losing the 2015 championship to Wisconsin. Michigan State had appeared in the quarterfinals of every Big Ten tournament until 2021.

Record vs. Big Ten opponents

*Through 2023–24 season

Michigan State only has losing records against four Big Ten teams.

Source

Spartans of note

National Player of the Year

Scott Skiles – Basketball Times (1986)

Shawn Respert – Sporting News, NABC (1995)

Draymond Green – NABC (2012)

Denzel Valentine – AP, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times, NABC, NBC Sports (2016)

Consensus All-Americans

Magic Johnson (1979)

Shawn Respert (1995)

Mateen Cleaves (1999)

Draymond Green (2012)

Denzel Valentine (2016)

Johnny Green (1959)

Scott Skiles (1986)

Steve Smith (1991)

Mateen Cleaves (1998, 2000)

Morris Peterson (2000)

Jason Richardson (2001)

Miles Bridges (2018)

Cassius Winston (2019, 2020)

Final Four Most Outstanding Player

Earvin Johnson (1979)

Mateen Cleaves (2000)

Big Ten Player of the Year

Jay Vincent (1981)

Scott Skiles (1986)

Shawn Respert (1995)

Mateen Cleaves (1998, 1999)

Morris Peterson (2000)

Kalin Lucas (2009)

Draymond Green (2012)

Denzel Valentine (2016)

Cassius Winston (2019)

Big Ten Coach of the Year

Jud Heathcote (1978, 1986)

Tom Izzo (1998, 2009, 2012, 2025)

Big Ten Freshman of the Year

Gary Harris (2013)

Miles Bridges (2017)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (2018)

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year

Ken Redfield (1990)

Eric Snow (1995)

Travis Walton (2009)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (2018)

Xavier Tillman (2020)

Spartans in the NBA

Spartans formerly in the NBA include:

Spartans currently in the NBA, G-League, unsigned, or are active in other professional leagues include:

Marcus Bingham Jr. (Hapoel Haifa)

Miles Bridges (Phoenix Suns)

Gabe Brown (Pallacanestro Varese)

Max Christie (Dallas Mavericks)

Matt Costello (Cazoo Baskonia)

Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)

Gary Harris (Detroit Pistons)

Aaron Henry (Toyotsu Fighting Eagles Nagoya)

Bryn Forbes (Râmnicu Vâlcea)

Jaren Jackson Jr. (Utah Jazz)

Deyonta Davis (Taichung Suns)

Kenny Goins (BC Pieno žvaigždės)

Malik Hall (Ironi Kiryat Ata)

Gavin Schilling (Konyaspor)

Durrell Summers (Mineros de Zacatecas)

Xavier Tillman (Trabzonspor)

Travis Trice (UCAM Murcia)

Denzel Valentine (Sydney Kings)

Nick Ward (Vancouver Bandits)

Uniforms

Tom Izzo's teams have worn many different styles of uniform during his 31 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. 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, 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 2011 Carrier Classic, played on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier against North Carolina. Beginning in the 2014–15 season, the Spartans frequently wore their 1979 throwback jerseys as their home uniform. On January 23, 2016, MSU wore specially designed "Mean Green" uniforms. During the 2016–17 season, the Spartans frequently wore the MAC throwback uniforms at home.

Facilities

The Spartans used the College Gymnasium prior to moving to Demonstration Hall for 10 years.

Demonstration Hall

The Spartans used this building, still in use on campus today, as their home from 1930 to the opening of Jenison Fieldhouse in 1940.

Jenison Fieldhouse

The arena opened in 1940 and was named for alumnus Frederick Cowles Jenison, whose estate, along with PWAP 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 its 1979 NCAA champion basketball team, which included Earvin "Magic" Johnson, and was coached by Jud Heathcote.

Jenison also hosted the 1963 NCAA tournament's Mideast Regionals. A plaque outside the arena commemorates one of the 1963 regional semifinals; the "Game of Change," in which a segregated Mississippi State team played and lost to the eventual national champion, an integrated Loyola 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 the Civil Rights Movement.

The building is still in use on campus today.

Breslin Center

The Spartans play home games at the Jack 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 for Jacweir "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 superseded Jenison Fieldhouse.

The arena's current basketball court is the same floor where the Spartans won the 2000 NCAA tournament, which was at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. 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.

The Breslin Center is home to the Izzone, 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. 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.

The arena underwent a $50 million renovation to improve the visitor experience and to create a Michigan State University Basketball Hall of History.