Andrew Pace
Michigan State University's basketball team, the Spartans, has won two NCAA National Championships, 17 Big Ten Regular Season Championships, and 6 Big Ten Tournament Championships. Their first national championship was in 1979, and their second was in 2000. The Spartans are the first NCAA Division I athletic program to have multiple national championships in both football and basketball.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of basketball national championships | 2 |
| Years of championship wins | 1979, 2000 |
| Coach for 1979 championship win | Jud Heathcote |
| Players in the 1979 championship team | Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent |
| Coach for 2000 championship win | Tom Izzo |
| Players in the 2000 championship team | Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, Antonio Smith |
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What You'll Learn
MSU has won two NCAA National Championships
Michigan State University's basketball team, the Spartans, has won two NCAA National Championships. The Spartans have won 17 Big Ten Regular Season Championships and 6 Big Ten Tournament Championships. They play their home games at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center in East Lansing, Michigan.
The Spartans won their first NCAA National Championship in 1979. This was the school's first basketball championship. The team was coached by Jud Heathcote and included tournament MVP Magic Johnson, Greg Kelser, and Jay Vincent. The 1979 National Championship game was the most-watched college basketball game in history, with 35.11 million television viewers.
In 1995, Tom Izzo took over as head coach of the Spartans. Under his leadership, the Spartans won their second NCAA National Championship in 2000. This victory marked Izzo's first and only championship to date. The Spartans triumphed over the Florida Gators 89-76 in the final game, despite losing Mateen Cleaves to an ankle injury.
Michigan State University was the first NCAA Division I athletic program to have multiple national championships in both football and basketball. The university has a rich history of success in various sports, with national championships in boxing, men's cross country, women's cross country, football, men's gymnastics, hockey, men's soccer, softball, and wrestling.
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The Spartans won the 1979 NCAA tournament
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team has won two NCAA National Championships, with their first coming in 1979. The 1979 championship game was the most-watched college basketball game in history, with 35.11 million television viewers. The Spartans gained their first national championship in men's basketball by defeating the Indiana State Sycamores 75-64. The game was held on March 26, 1979, at the Special Events Center (now the Jon M. Huntsman Center) in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The 1979 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship Game was the final of the 1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament and determined the national champion for the 1978-79 season. Michigan State was awarded the second seed in the Mideast Regional for the NCAA Tournament, defeating the Lamar Cardinals 95-64 in their first game. The Spartans then topped third-seeded LSU 87-71 in the regional semifinal and defeated the Mideast region's top seed, Notre Dame, by a 12-point margin to advance to the Final Four. Michigan State won in the national semifinals 101-67 to gain a berth in the NCAA title game.
The Spartans were led by coach Jud Heathcote and sophomore guard Magic Johnson, who had been instrumental in helping the team win the Big Ten Conference championship the previous season. Johnson had a triple-double in the contest, posting 29 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. Johnson was named Most Outstanding Player, and the Spartans' victory marked the school's first national championship in basketball.
The 1979 NCAA tournament final had the highest Nielsen ratings of any game in the history of American basketball at the time, with an estimated audience of around 40 million people in 18 million households. The game also introduced a nationwide audience to college basketball, which was once considered a second-tier sport. It featured the first use of unique logos for the event, creating a diversity of branding that continues today. The rivalry between Johnson and Bird carried over into the NBA in the 1980s, as they played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, respectively, and was a major factor in the league's renaissance during that decade.
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MSU won the 2000 NCAA tournament
Michigan State University's men's basketball team, the Spartans, won the 2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, earning their second national championship. The Spartans were awarded the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament, and they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen with wins over Valparaiso and Utah. They then continued on to the Final Four, beating Syracuse and Iowa State, winning every game by double digits despite playing the best possible seed in each round. In the Final Four matchup, Michigan State faced off against Big Ten rival Wisconsin, winning a close game 53–41.
In the national championship game, the Spartans triumphed over the Florida Gators 89–76, despite losing star player Mateen Cleaves to an ankle injury early in the second half. Cleaves was named the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the 2000 NCAA Tournament. The win marked MSU's second national championship in basketball and coach Tom Izzo's first and only championship to date. The 2000 NCAA Tournament was also the last with a 64-team bracket.
The 2000 championship team was comprised of Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, and Antonio Smith, who together made up three-fourths of Izzo's "Flintstones". The team was coached by Tom Izzo, who took over as head coach in 1995 after the departure of Jud Heathcote.
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MSU's first championship was coached by Jud Heathcote
Michigan State University has won two NCAA National Championships in basketball, in 1979 and 2000. MSU's first championship in 1979 was coached by Jud Heathcote.
Heathcote was a college basketball head coach for 24 seasons, spending five seasons at the University of Montana (1971-1976) and nineteen at Michigan State University (1976-1995). During his time at Montana, he led the Grizzlies to two Big Sky Championships and was named Inland Empire Coach of the Year and Big Sky Coach of the Year in 1975. He also coached the University of Montana to a national handball championship in 1974.
Heathcote took over as head coach at MSU in 1976. In his second season, he recruited Earvin "Magic" Johnson, a freshman sensation from nearby Lansing Everett High School. Johnson led MSU to the Big Ten title with a 15-3 record in 1978, but the team lost to eventual national champion Kentucky in the Mideast Regional final.
The 1978-79 season was a historic one for Heathcote and MSU. Led by Johnson and Greg Kelser, the Spartans won their second consecutive Big Ten title and advanced to the NCAA National Championship game. On March 26, 1979, MSU defeated Indiana State to win the school's first basketball national championship. The game was the most-watched college basketball game in history, with 35.11 million television viewers. Johnson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and turned pro after the season, joining the NBA.
Heathcote stepped down as MSU head coach in 1995 after a successful 19-year tenure. He compiled a 336-224 record, led the Spartans to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, three Big Ten Conference championships, and one national championship. He hand-picked his successor, Tom Izzo, who took over as head coach in 1995.
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Tom Izzo led the Spartans to their second championship
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team has won two NCAA National Championships, with their first championship coming in 1979 and their second in 2000. The team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Michigan State University and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball.
Tom Izzo has been the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans since 1995, taking over for Jud Heathcote, who hand-picked Izzo as his successor. In 2000, Izzo led the Spartans to their second NCAA National Championship. This victory marked Izzo's first and only championship to date. The Spartans triumphed over the Florida Gators 89–76, despite losing star player Mateen Cleaves to an ankle injury early in the second half.
This win was particularly impressive given the team's struggles in Izzo's first season as head coach. After losing All-American Shawn Respert, the Spartans finished the 1995 season at .500 (16–16, 9–9), tying for seventh place in the Big Ten. However, Izzo quickly turned the team around, and by 1997, the Spartans welcomed new recruits Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson, who would become key players in the team's success.
Izzo has led the Spartans to eight Final Fours in the NCAA Tournament, including the 2000 National Championship. He has the most wins in school history and has appeared in 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, the longest streak of tournament appearances by a coach at one school. In addition, Izzo has never had a losing season as a head coach and has established a strong culture of player development and acceptance of coaching.
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Frequently asked questions
Michigan State University has won 2 basketball national championships.
Michigan State University won their first basketball national championship in 1979.
Jud Heathcote coached Michigan State University for their first basketball national championship.
Magic Johnson, Greg Kelser, and Jay Vincent were on Michigan State University's team for their first basketball national championship.
Michigan State University won their second basketball national championship in 2000.
