Michigan State basketball has experienced a roller coaster ride of ups and downs over the past three seasons. When comparing these past three seasons to the previous three seasons prior to those seasons which occurred during the 2017-2018, 2018-19, and 2019-2020 seasons, it’s clear that this program has underachieved these past three seasons in comparison to what they accomplished the three seasons prior.
However, the Spartans have a very positive outlook going into the 2023-24 season. Let’s though begin looking at the past six seasons of Michigan State basketball and finally would are the expectations for the 2023-2024 season.
2017-2018 Season
In 2017-2018, Michigan State was and still is considered a college basketball powerhouse and or a blue-blood program as the season concluded, finishing with a 30-5 overall record and winning the Big Ten regular-season championship. Miles Bridges was considered the star of the team that season and a potential future NBA lottery pick, leading the Spartans in points and rebounds per game. Also on that team was Michigan State legendary point guard Cassius Winston who led the team in assists, future top-three NBA draft pick Jaren Jackson Jr, and other key Spartans making that season’s team arguably the deepest Michigan State team in years.
Season Accomplishments
Winning the PK80 Invitational: Michigan State started the season by winning the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Oregon. They defeated UConn and DePaul and then took down a talented North Carolina team in the championship game.
Beating Notre Dame in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge: Michigan State beat Notre Dame 81-63 in the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge, which showcased the team’s depth and talent.
Defeating No. 3 ranked Purdue: Miles Bridges’ memorable dunk over Purdue, in the game against Purdue, Miles Bridges had one of the most memorable dunks of the season. He drove down the lane and soared over Purdue’s center for a thunderous slam as the Spartans defeated the Boilermakers by three.
Winning the Big Ten regular-season championship: Michigan State finished the Big Ten season with a 16-2 record, clinching the regular-season title outright. It was their first regular season championship since 2012.
Season Outcome
The team was poised for a deep run in the NCAA tournament, but they were shocked in the second round by 11th-seeded Syracuse by being defeated by the Orange on what was considered a relative home-court advantage with the game being played in the city of Detroit. It was a disappointing end to a season that had so much promise and potential.
Although the team fell short in the NCAA tournament, losing to Syracuse in the second round, the 2017-2018 season was filled with memorable moments and showcased the talent and potential of the Michigan State basketball program.
2018-2019 Season
The 2018-2019 Michigan State basketball season was a highly successful one for the Spartans, as they compiled an impressive overall record of 32-7 and won both the Big Ten regular-season championship and the Big Ten Tournament title as well. Led by Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo, the team boasted a talented and experienced roster that was able to overcome numerous obstacles throughout the year to emerge as one of the top teams in the country.
One of the key highlights of the season was the emergence of Cassius Winston as one of the best point guards in the nation. Winston, a junior, averaged 18.8 points and 7.5 assists per game and was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus All-American. He was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament, where he led the Spartans to a thrilling victory over rival Michigan in the championship game.
Another standout player for Michigan State was forward Nick Ward, who averaged 14.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Despite missing several games due to injury, Ward was a dominant force in the paint when he was on the court, and his presence was a key factor in the team’s success.
Season Accomplishments
Winning the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational: Michigan State began the season by winning the Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas, Nevada. They beat UCLA and took down a previously undefeated Texas team in the championship game. The Spartans also in non-conference play won an impressive road game at Florida.
Michigan State swept Iowa and defeated Wisconsin and Michigan: During Big Ten conference play, they also defeated Ohio State on the road as well as beating Maryland and Purdue at home.
Regular Season Big Ten Champions: The Spartans clinched their fifth regular-season Big Ten championship in the past eleven years. They finished the regular season with a conference record of 16-4 and an overall record of 25-6.
Big Ten Tournament Champions: Michigan State won the Big Ten Tournament championship by defeating Michigan in the final game. This was the third time in the past six years that the Spartans had won the tournament.
Cassius Winston named Big Ten Player of the Year: Junior point guard Cassius Winston was named the Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 18.8 points and 7.5 assists per game. Winston was also named a consensus First Team All-American.
Tom Izzo named Big Ten Coach of the Year: Head coach Tom Izzo was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his career. Izzo led the Spartans to a successful season despite facing several key injuries throughout the year.
Season Outcome
In the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans continued their strong play, They faced tough opponents in each round, including Bradley, Minnesota, and LSU. They defeated all three opponents to advance to the Elite Eight.
In the Elite Eight, the Spartans faced a very talented team in Duke who was the tournament’s top-seeded team and featured several future NBA players, including Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish. The game was a closely contested battle, with Michigan State pulling ahead in the final minutes to secure the victory. The Spartans Elite Eight win against Duke was one of the biggest highlights of the season as Michigan State won with a final score of 68-67. The Spartans advanced to the Final Four for the eighth time in program history. Unfortunately for Michigan State, the Spartans lost to a tough and defensive-minded team in Texas Tech.
Overall, the 2018-2019 Michigan State basketball season was a memorable one for Spartan fans, filled with impressive performances and thrilling moments. The team’s success was a testament to their talent, hard work, and determination, and they will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the top college basketball teams of that year.
2019-20 Season
In 2019-2020, Michigan State was looking to redeem itself after falling short in the Final Four the previous year. However, injuries and inconsistency plagued the team early on in the season. Cassius Winston was still a star, but he couldn’t carry the team alone and he got the help he was looking for in mid-February. They finished with a 22-9 record and their play at the end of the season gave them hope of making a long run in the NCAA tournament before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cassius Winston was the team’s star player and leader, averaging 18.6 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game. He was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The Spartans had some early struggles, including losses to Kentucky and Duke, but bounced back with a six-game winning streak in December.
Michigan State finished the regular season with a 22-9 record and earned a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship with Wisconsin and Maryland.
Season Accomplishments
The Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team had a successful 2019-2020 season, with several notable accomplishments. Here are some of the highlights:
Big Ten Regular Season Champions: Michigan State won the Big Ten regular-season championship with a record of 14-6 in conference play.
5th Place finish in the Maui Invitational: The Spartans defeated the Georgia Bulldogs and the UCLA Bruins after an earlier loss to Virginia Tech.
A road win in the Gavitt Tipoff Games: 76-73 victory over No. 12 Seton Hall.
Big Ten Conference victories: In January, Michigan State faced off against conference rival Michigan in what was dubbed the “Battle for the State.” The Spartans defeated the Wolverines, with an 87-69 victory. In late February, Michigan State went on the road to face the Maryland Terrapins in a game that would have major implications for the Big Ten standings. The Spartans won a close game, 78-66.
NCAA Tournament Appearance: Michigan State would have possibly earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, which was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cassius Winston was named Big Ten Player of the Year: Senior guard Cassius Winston was named the Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Xavier Tillman named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year: Junior forward Xavier Tillman was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Season Outcome
Overall, the Michigan State Spartans had a successful season winning a third straight Big Ten regular-season championship and were poised to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament before it was canceled.
2020-21 Season
The 2020-2021 Michigan State basketball season was a challenging one due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the team still managed to have some notable accomplishments. They finished with a disappointing overall record of 15-13 and a Big Ten Conference record: of 9-11 which the Spartans ended up tied for ninth place. They did receive an NCAA Tournament bid in which the team received a No. 11 seed in the tournament but lost to UCLA in the First Four.
Season Accomplishments
Started the season undefeated: The Spartans won their first six games leading to them being ranked No. 4 in the country.
Undefeated in Non-Conference play: Michigan State had key wins against Notre Dame at home and a road victory against Duke. Even though they only played six non-conference games, the Spartans played well in non-conference play.
Notable Big Ten Victories: Wins over No. 6 Illinois and No. 5 Ohio State during the regular season
Ended Big Ten play on a strong note: Besides their notable wins against Illinois and Ohio State, the Spartans won five of their last seven games to end Big Ten regular season play that included beating Indiana twice and a win over No. 2 Michigan at home.
Two players receive All-Big Ten honors: Senior guard Joshua Langford was named to the All-Big Ten third team and freshman forward A.J. Hoggard was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team
Season Outcome
Having lost to Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament and losing to UCLA in overtime in the NCAA Tournament, the end of the season what not what the Spartans were hoping for. Despite the team’s struggles, head coach Tom Izzo praised his players for their resilience and work ethic during a challenging season.
2021-22 Season
Michigan State’s 2021-2022 season was expected to be a rebound year for the Spartans after a disappointing 2020-2021 season in which they finished with a 15-13.
The Spartans had a solid non-conference season, going 10-2 with their only losses coming against No. 2 Baylor and No. 6 Kansas. They had notable wins over Loyola Chicago and UConn.
In the Big Ten conference, Michigan State had a mixed bag of results. They started off strong with wins over Northwestern and Nebraska but then lost four of their next five games, including losses to Rutgers, Wisconsin, and Penn State. They bounced back with some wins down the stretch and they finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record and an 11-9 record in conference regular season play.
Season Accomplishments
Spartans won some notable non-conference games: They had a 21-point road victory against Butler, and they defeated Loyola Chicago and UConn in the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament. The Spartans also had home victories against Louisville and Toledo as well.
Undefeated in the month of December: Michigan State won all of their six games in the month of December that included two Big Ten conference victories.
Michigan State had an impressive start to the season: The Spartans won 12 of their first 14 games of the season to get them a No. 10 national ranking.
Big Ten play in January: the Spartans went 5-2 in the month of January including victories over Big Ten rivals Wisconsin and Michigan.
Big win against the Boilermakers: Michigan State defeated No. 4, Purdue, and the win was very important because they had lost three straight and five of six entering this game against the Boilermakers.
Season Outcome
The Spartans ended Big Ten regular season conference play in a tie for 7th place. In the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan State won its opening game against Maryland by ten and then defeated Wisconsin in the quarterfinals. The Spartans lost to Purdue in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans earned a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament and they won their first game in the first round against Davidson. They would end up playing Duke close in the second round but they lost in a relatively close game.
Overall, Michigan State’s 2021-2022 season was a mixed bag with some notable wins and some disappointing losses. They had hoped to make a run in the NCAA Tournament but they fell short of that goal.
2022-23 Season
The 2022-2023 Michigan State basketball season was considered their best season since the 2019-2020 Season. The Spartans did well overall with a record of 21-13 and finished in 4th place in the Big Ten which was their best finish in conference play since 2020. The Spartans were led by upperclassmen in Tyson Walker, Joey Hauser, A.J. Hoggard, and the team for the most part was consistent in their play throughout the season and was able to overcome losses throughout the season to put themselves in a position to make a decent run in the NCAA Tournament.
Season Accomplishments
Champions Classic Victory: The Spartans defeated No. 4 Kentucky in overtime as Hauser, Malik Hall, and Mady Sissoko combined for 59 points to lead Michigan State in the win over the Wildcats.
A Gavitt Tipoff Games Win: Michigan State defeated Villanova in a close game as Walker led the Spartans with 22 points.
Won their last two games in the Phil Knight Invitational Tournament: After a loss to Alabama, the Spartans defeated Oregon and then Portland to win two out of three games in the Phil Knight Invitational.
Seven Straight Victories: Starting with a road victory against Penn State, Michigan State went on a seven-game winning streak that included wins over Wisconsin and Michigan.
Playing well in the month of February: Starting with a tough defensive victory against Maryland, the Spartans defeated Ohio State twice as well as an impressive win against Indiana to earn the Spartans a 4th place finish in Big Ten play.
Season Outcome
Even though the Spartans had a disappointing loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan State did something that they have not done since 2019 in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans in the first round of the NCAA Tournament played a talented team in USC. Michigan State played great team defense and beat the Trojans by 10 to advance to the second round. The Spartans had a tough task against No. 2 seed Marquette who won the Big East conference tournament.
Michigan State once again played solid defense and defeated the Golden Eagles to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Spartans played outstanding on offense in a high-scoring game against Kansas State that went into overtime, however, Michigan State was unable to secure the victory and advance to the Elite Eight.
The Spartans have a legitimate chance to win a national title in 2024
Fast forward to the present day, and Michigan State basketball has had an up-and-down past three seasons. They haven’t lived up to the expectations set by the 2018-2019 team or even the 2019-2020 team, but they have a great opportunity for the 2023-2024 season to make a run in the NCAA Tournament and possibly win a national championship.
Going back to the last three seasons, Michigan State basketball has experienced a range of successes and disappointments over the past three seasons. The highs of winning Big Ten championships and making it to the Final Four prior to the 2020-2021 season have been tempered by early exits and missed opportunities these past seasons. However, the Spartan’s last season has given reasons why they can do very well this upcoming season. If next season’s team continues to fight and grow, fans can look forward to what the future holds. There are many reasons why Michigan State can have an amazing season next year and here is why.
Reason No. 1
Michigan State brings back five of their six leading scorers from last season. Walker announced that he is coming back as well as Hall which will make the Spartans have tremendous depth, especially in the backcourt with Hoggard, Jaden Akins, Walker, and incoming freshmen Jeremy Fears Jr. anchoring arguably the best backcourt for the 2023-2024 season.
Reason No. 2
The Spartans bring in the No. 3 national recruiting class for the upcoming season led by top-8 recruit Xavier Booker and there are 4 incoming Michigan State freshmen in this class. The class also addresses two big needs for the Spartans, one of them being wing players to attempt to replace the production lost by Hauser in Coen Carr and Gehrig Normand and scoring upfront with the addition of Booker.
Reason No. 3
Experience with the infusion of talented incoming players. Having the experience that Walker, Hall, Hoggard, and Sissoko bring back for this upcoming season along with talented incoming freshmen like Booker and Fears Jr. is somewhat similar to the makeup of the 2000 national championship team that had two seniors and two juniors lead them as well a very talented freshman play in Jason Richardson. This blend of talented youth and experienced proven scorers is a formula for success for this upcoming season.
Time will tell if the Spartans win the Big Ten regular season championship which is a high priority for Tom Izzo and his program as well as possibly winning a Big Ten Tournament championship and more importantly, reaching the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in 2024.
Unless there is a very unexpected valuable player who transfers this offseason, the Spartans are a more than likely preseason top-three team heading into next season. They will have the opportunity to do very well next season but nothing is guaranteed.