On
March 26, 1979, Michigan State would play Indiana State for the NCAA Men’s
Basketball Championship. Michigan would defeat Indiana 75-64, led by
point guard Magic Johnson who was also named as the tournament’s Most
Outstanding Player.
To
this day, the 1979 championship game remains as the highest-rated college
basketball game in history. Much hype was given to this game by the media
because each team had a superstar, with Michigan State having Magic Johnson on
their roster, while Larry Bird was playing for Indiana State.
Both
players led their respective teams in scoring in the game, but it was Magic’s
24 points, seven rebounds and five assists that ultimately took home the title
for the Spartans.
Michigan State has compiled two NCAA Tournament
championships in 1979 and 2000. They were the Tournament runner-up in 2009. The
Spartans have reached the Final Four eight times including back-to-back-back
appearances in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Their last appearance in the Final Four
came in 2010. The Spartans have also reached the Elite Eight 11 times, the
Sweet Sixteen 16 times, including four straight years from 1998-2001. Overall
the Spartans have reached the NCAA Tournament 27 times, and is on their 17th
consecutive appearance this year dating back to 1998.
While Michigan State won the NCAA Tournament in 1979, and
again in 2000, Indiana State had never won the NCAA Tournament. Their highest
finish ever was in 1979 when Bird’s team lost to Michigan State. The Sycamores
have only reached the Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen once, in 1979.
They Sycamores have reached the NCAA Tournament four times
though in 1979, 2001, 2001 and 2011.
The Michigan State Spartans have another chance to add onto
their legacy of basketball excellence this year as they are now in the Sweet 16
and set to play the Virginia Cavaliers on Friday, March 28 at 6:57 p.m. on TBS.
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