A Legacy of Leadership: A History of Michigan State Basketball Coaches
The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball program boasts a rich and storied history, marked by periods of dominance, iconic players, and, most importantly, a lineage of dedicated coaches. From the program's humble beginnings to its current status as a national powerhouse, several individuals have shaped the Spartans' basketball identity. This article will delve into the history of Michigan State basketball coaches, highlighting their achievements and contributions to the program.
Early Pioneers: Laying the Foundation (1898-1949)
The formative years of Michigan State basketball saw several coaches lay the groundwork for future success.
- Charles Bemies (1898-1901): As the first established coach for Michigan Agricultural College (MAC), now Michigan State University, Bemies also served as the school's first athletic director, overseeing the football, baseball, and track teams. His two-year stint as basketball head coach ended in 1901.
- George Denman (1901-1903): Denman holds the distinction of being the only undefeated basketball coach in program history, posting an 11-0 record during his two seasons. His team still holds the record for the largest margin of victory with a 102-3 defeat of Alma College in 1902.
- Chester Brewer (1903-1909): MAC's first full-time athletic director and one of the Spartans' most successful coaches, 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 (1916-1920): Gauthier was the first alumnus to lead a Michigan State basketball squad. He compiled a career record of 41-38 over four seasons.
- Lyman Frimodig (1920-1922): After Gauthier left, Frimodig coached the final seven games of the 1919-20 season, going 6-1. He would also serve as head coach for the next two seasons.
- Benjamin Van Alstyne (1926-1949): Van Alstyne coached MSU for 22 years, amassing 231 wins, the third-highest total in program history. Van Alstyne coached MSU's first All-American, Roger Grove, in 1930.
The Mid-Century Era: Building Momentum (1950-1975)
The mid-20th century saw the Spartans take significant strides, achieving milestones and setting the stage for future greatness.
- Alton Kircher (1949-1950): In one season under Alton Kircher, the Spartans finished 4-18.
- Pete Newell (1950-1954): Newell's impact, though brief, was significant. 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. Newell is a legend in the history of basketball. He took California to the NCAA championship game two years in a row, winning it in 1959. He coached a gold-medal-winning Olympic team in 1960 and even had a stint as the GM for the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Forrest "Forddy" Anderson (1954-1965): Anderson led MSU to its first Big Ten Championship in 1957, securing their first NCAA tournament bid. Two years later, led by All-American Johnny Green, the Spartans cruised to another Big Ten Championship. Following his initial successes in East Lansing, his Spartan teams only finished with a winning record one time after 1959.
- John Benington (1965-1970): Benington led MSU to a second-place Big Ten finish in his first season. The next season, he led the Spartans to a shared Big Ten title, but Indiana received the NCAA tournament bid.
- Gus Ganakas (1970-1976): Ganakas' most successful seasons were in 1973-74 with a fourth-place Big Ten finish and 1974-75 with a 17-9 overall record. Ganakas was fired in 1976 but 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. He was an MSU basketball radio announcer until 2017.
The Heathcote Era: Magic and a National Title (1976-1995)
Jud Heathcote's arrival marked a turning point for the program, ushering in an era of national prominence.
- Jud Heathcote (1976-1995): Heathcote led the Grizzlies to two Big Sky championships and the 1975 NCAA tournament. In his second year, he landed one of the game's all-time greats, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, 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. Following the championship, Johnson left school to join the NBA and Kelser graduated. Heathcote returned the Spartans, led by Scott Skiles, to the tournament with a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten. 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. In his final year at MSU in 1995, Heathcote returned the Spartans to the NCAA tournament for the fifth time in six years. 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.
The Izzo Dynasty: A Modern Legend (1995-Present)
Tom Izzo has not only sustained the program's success but has elevated it to unprecedented heights, solidifying his place among the game's all-time coaching greats.
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- Tom Izzo (1995-Present): Izzo grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Izzo learned the value of hard work early in life. That work ethic carried over to the basketball court where the walk-on became a Division II All-America at Northern Michigan University. Following one year at Ishpeming High School and four seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Izzo arrived at Michigan State in the fall of 1983, eventually becoming head coach in 1995. By his fourth season his program advanced to what would become the first of seven Final Fours in his first 20 years, and in just his fifth season, he guided the Spartans to the 2000 NCAA national championship. Five more Final Fours would follow as Izzo became the Big Ten’s all-time leader in Final Four appearances, NCAA Tournament wins and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, ranking among the all-time best in college basketball history. 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 1998, MSU welcomed freshman recruit Charlie Bell, the fourth of Izzo's "Flintstones" and started slow. 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. 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. 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. MSU would recover 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. In 1999-2000. Seniors Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson led the way for the Spartans as they began the season ranked No. 3 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 were awarded the No. 1 seed, their second consecutive No. 1 seed, in the Midwest Region of the NCAA tournament. Losing both Cleaves and Peterson to graduation following the season, MSU still began the 2000-01 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 received their third consecutive No. 1 seed, in the South Region of the NCAA tournament. As a result of Randolph and Richardson's early departure, MSU struggled with Izzo's tough non-conference schedule in 2002. Michigan State finished the conference schedule at 10-6 and in fourth place with an overall record of 19-10. The Spartans received an at-large bid as a No. 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, the 2002-03 team played another tough non-conference schedule.
Honorable Mentions
While the aforementioned coaches represent the cornerstones of Michigan State basketball history, several other individuals deserve recognition for their contributions.
- John E. Benington: 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.
- Gus Ganakas: Ganakas was an assistant under Benington and was hired to take over following Benington's death.
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