Michigan State Spartans basketball — program history
Michigan State's basketball program dates to 1899, and the 'Spartans' name was chosen in honor of the ancient Greek warriors of Sparta renowned for their bravery. The program reached iconic status in 1979 when Earvin 'Magic' Johnson led the Spartans to the NCAA Championship in the most-watched college basketball game ever, defeating Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores. Under Tom Izzo, who arrived in 1995, Michigan State has reached eight Final Fours — ten in program history — and won a second national title in 2000. ESPN's Andy Katz named MSU his college basketball team of the 2000s decade.
The name
Named after the ancient Greek warriors of Sparta, chosen for the bravery and discipline associated with the Spartan military tradition
Signature moment
Magic Johnson's 24-point performance in the 1979 NCAA Championship game against Larry Bird's Indiana State — the most-watched college basketball game in history
Tom Izzo has led Michigan State to eight Final Fours, the fifth most by any coach all-time, and ESPN's Andy Katz picked the Spartans as his team of the 2000s decade
The Michigan State Spartans compete in the Big Ten and hold an all-time record of 1875–1169 (.616 winning percentage) across 127 recorded seasons dating back to 1898-99. The program has won 2 NCAA national championships (1979, 2000) and reached 10 Final Fours.
National championships
1979, 2000
Season-by-season results
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|
| 2025-26 | 27-8 | 15-5 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #7 |
| 2024-25 | 30-7 | 17-3 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #7 |
| 2023-24 | 20-15 | 10-10 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #4 |
| 2022-23 | 21-13 | 11-8 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #12 |
| 2021-22 | 23-13 | 11-9 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #10 |
| 2020-21 | 15-13 | 9-11 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #4 |
| 2019-20 | 22-9 | 14-6 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #1 |
| 2018-19 | 32-7 | 16-4 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #5 |
| 2017-18 | 30-5 | 16-2 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #1 |
| 2016-17 | 20-15 | 10-8 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #12 |
| 2015-16 | 29-6 | 13-5 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #1 |
| 2014-15 | 27-12 | 12-6 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #18 |
| 2013-14 | 29-9 | 12-6 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #1 |
| 2012-13 | 27-9 | 13-5 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #4 |
| 2011-12 | 29-8 | 13-5 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #5 |
| 2010-11 | 19-15 | 9-9 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #2 |
| 2009-10 | 28-9 | 14-4 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #2 |
| 2008-09 | 31-7 | 15-3 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #5 |
| 2007-08 | 27-9 | 12-6 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #6 |
| 2006-07 | 23-12 | 8-8 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | |
| 2005-06 | 22-12 | 8-8 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #4 |
| 2004-05 | 26-7 | 13-3 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #10 |
| 2003-04 | 18-12 | 12-4 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #3 |
| 2002-03 | 22-13 | 10-6 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #9 |
| 2001-02 | 19-12 | 10-6 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #13 |
| 2000-01 | 28-5 | 13-3 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #1 |
| 1999-00 | 32-7 | 13-3 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #2 |
| 1998-99 | 33-5 | 15-1 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #2 |
| 1997-98 | 22-8 | 13-3 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | AP #10 |
| 1996-97 | 17-12 | 9-9 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | |
| 1995-96 | 16-16 | 9-9 (Big Ten) | Tom Izzo | |
| 1994-95 | 22-6 | 14-4 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #7 |
| 1993-94 | 20-12 | 10-8 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1992-93 | 15-13 | 7-11 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #14 |
| 1991-92 | 22-8 | 11-7 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #9 |
| 1990-91 | 19-11 | 11-7 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #4 |
| 1989-90 | 28-6 | 15-3 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #3 |
| 1988-89 | 18-15 | 6-12 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1987-88 | 10-18 | 5-13 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1986-87 | 11-17 | 6-12 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1985-86 | 23-8 | 12-6 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #17 |
| 1984-85 | 19-10 | 10-8 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #17 |
| 1983-84 | 15-13 * | Big Ten | | |
| 1982-83 | 17-13 | 9-9 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1981-82 | 11-17 * | Big Ten | | |
| 1980-81 | 13-14 | 7-11 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1979-80 | 12-15 | 6-12 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | |
| 1978-79 | 26-6 | 13-5 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #1 |
| 1977-78 | 25-5 | 15-3 (Big Ten) | Jud Heathcote | AP #4 |
| 1976-77 | 10-17 * | Big Ten | | |
| 1975-76 | 14-13 | 10-8 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1974-75 | 17-9 | 10-8 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1973-74 | 13-11 | 8-6 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1972-73 | 13-11 | 6-8 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1971-72 | 13-11 | 6-8 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1970-71 | 10-14 | 4-10 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1969-70 | 9-15 | 5-9 (Big Ten) | Gus Ganakas | |
| 1968-69 | 11-12 | 6-8 (Big Ten) | John Benington | |
| 1967-68 | 12-12 | 6-8 (Big Ten) | John Benington | |
| 1966-67 | 16-7 | 10-4 (Big Ten) | John Benington | AP #5 |
| 1965-66 | 15-7 | 10-4 (Big Ten) | John Benington | |
| 1964-65 | 5-18 | 1-13 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | |
| 1963-64 | 14-10 | 8-6 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | |
| 1962-63 | 4-16 | 3-11 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | |
| 1961-62 | 8-14 | 3-11 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | |
| 1960-61 | 7-17 | 3-11 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | |
| 1959-60 | 10-11 | 5-9 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | AP #11 |
| 1958-59 | 19-4 | 12-2 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | AP #5 |
| 1957-58 | 16-6 | 9-5 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | AP #7 |
| 1956-57 | 16-10 | 10-4 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | AP #8 |
| 1955-56 | 13-9 | 7-7 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | AP #16 |
| 1954-55 | 13-9 | 8-6 (Big Ten) | Forddy Anderson | |
| 1953-54 | 9-13 | 4-10 (Big Ten) | Pete Newell | |
| 1952-53 | 13-9 | 11-7 (Big Ten) | Pete Newell | |
| 1951-52 | 13-9 | 6-8 (Big Ten) | Pete Newell | AP #19 |
| 1950-51 | 10-11 | 5-9 (Big Ten) | Pete Newell | |
| 1949-50 | 4-18 | 0-0 (Big Ten) | Alton Kircher | |
| 1948-49 | 9-12 | Big Ten | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1947-48 | 12-10 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1946-47 | 11-10 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1945-46 | 12-9 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1944-45 | 9-7 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1942-43 | 2-14 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1941-42 | 15-6 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1940-41 | 11-6 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1939-40 | 14-6 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1938-39 | 9-8 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1937-38 | 9-8 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1936-37 | 5-12 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1935-36 | 8-9 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1934-35 | 14-4 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1933-34 | 12-5 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1932-33 | 10-7 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1931-32 | 12-5 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1930-31 | 16-1 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1929-30 | 12-4 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1928-29 | 11-5 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1927-28 | 11-4 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1926-27 | 7-11 | Ind | Benjamin VanAlstyne | |
| 1925-26 | 5-13 | Ind | John H. Kobs | |
| 1924-25 | 6-13 | Ind | John H. Kobs | |
| 1923-24 | 10-10 | Ind | Fred Walker | |
| 1922-23 | 10-9 | Ind | Fred Walker | |
| 1921-22 | 11-12 | Ind | Lyman Frimodig | |
| 1920-21 | 13-8 | Ind | Lyman Frimodig | |
| 1919-20 | 12-11 | Ind | George Gauthier | |
| 1918-19 | 9-9 | Ind | George Gauthier | |
| 1917-18 | 6-10 | Ind | George Gauthier | |
| 1916-17 | 11-5 | Ind | George Gauthier | |
| 1915-16 | 8-8 | Ind | John Macklin | |
| 1914-15 | 7-9 | Ind | John Macklin | |
| 1913-14 | 8-4 | Ind | John Macklin | |
| 1912-13 | 8-5 | Ind | John Macklin | |
| 1911-12 | 12-3 | Ind | John Macklin | |
| 1910-11 | 5-9 | Ind | John Macklin | |
| 1909-10 | 10-5 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1908-09 | 10-5 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1907-08 | 15-5 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1906-07 | 14-2 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1905-06 | 11-2 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1904-05 | 5-3 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1903-04 | 5-3 | Ind | Chester Brewer | |
| 1902-03 | 6-0 | Ind | George Denman | |
| 1901-02 | 5-0 | Ind | George Denman | |
| 1900-01 | 3-0 | Ind | Charles Bemies | |
| 1899-00 | 2-2 | Ind | Charles Bemies | |
| 1898-99 | 0-2 | Ind | | |
* Season vacated by the NCAA — absent from the official season table; record computed from the game log and not counted in official totals or rankings.
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