1999–2000 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team

1999–2000 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball
NCAA tournament National Champions
Big Ten tournament champions
Big Ten regular season champions
Coca-Cola Spartan Classic champions
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 1
APNo. 2
Record32–7 (13–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Captains
Home arenaBreslin Center
Seasons
1999–2000 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
No. 2 Michigan State 13 3   .813 32 7   .821
No. 25 Purdue 12 4   .750 24 10   .706
No. 21 Illinois 11 5   .688 22 10   .688
No. 22 Indiana 10 6   .625 20 9   .690
Wisconsin 8 8   .500 22 14   .611
Iowa 6 10   .375 14 16   .467
Michigan 6 10   .375 15 14   .517
Penn State 5 11   .313 19 16   .543
Minnesota 4 12   .250 12 16   .429
Northwestern 0 16   .000 5 25   .167
No. 8 Ohio State* 11 3   .786 5 1   .833
2000 Big Ten tournament winner
Rankings from AP poll
*Ohio State: 14 reg. season games; 2 NCAA Tourn. games vacated due to sanctions against the program
Disputed record: Ohio State (23–7) (13–3)[1]

The 1999–2000 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represented Michigan State University in the 1999–2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played their home games at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan. They were coached by Tom Izzo, in his fifth year as head coach, and were members of the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans finished the season 32–7, 13–3 to win a share of the Big Ten regular season championship for the third consecutive year. As the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament, they defeated Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois to win the tournament championship for the second consecutive year. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. As the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region (their second consecutive No. 1 seed), they defeated Valparaiso and Utah to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the third consecutive year. They then defeated Syracuse and Iowa State to advance to the Final Four for the second consecutive year. After a win in the National Semifinal over fellow Big Ten foe Wisconsin, MSU won the national championship over Florida. The win marked the school's second national championship and Izzo's only championship to date.

Previous season

[edit]

The Spartans finished the 1998–99 season 33–5, 15–1 to win their second consecutive Big Ten regular season championship. They defeated Northwestern, Wisconsin, and Illinois to win the Big Ten tournament. As a result, they received the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest region, their second consecutive trip to the Tournament. MSU defeated Mount Saint Mary's and Ole Miss to advance to their second straight Sweet Sixteen. In the Sweet Sixteen, they defeated Oklahoma to advance to the school's first Elite Eight since 1979. In the Elite Eight, they defeated Kentucky to earn a trip to the Final Four for the first time since 1979. There they lost No. 1-ranked Duke. The 33 wins marked a school record for wins in a season.[2]

Season summary

[edit]

Non-conference play

[edit]

The Spartans were looking to build on their Final Four appearance the year before with seniors, Mateen Cleaves (12.1 points and 6.9 assist per game) and Morris Peterson (16.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game), leading the way. MSU began the season ranked No. 3 in the country, but were without starting point guard and team captain, Cleaves, who sustained a stress fracture in his right foot during the offseason.[3]

Without Cleaves, the Spartans began the season with a home win over Toledo[4] before travelling to Puerto Rico for the Puerto Rico Shootout. In Puerto Rico, they defeated Providence[5] and South Carolina to advance to the championship of the tournament.[6] In the championship game, they lost to No. 20 Texas.[7][8] The Spartans went on to defeat No. 2 North Carolina on the road as part of the inaugural ACC–Big Ten Challenge.[9] MSU returned to East Lansing for easy wins over Howard[10] and Eastern Michigan.[11] A win over No. 5-ranked Kansas in the Great Eight in Chicago followed.[12] A road loss to No. 2 Arizona followed the neutral court win over Kansas.[13] MSU sandwiched home wins over Oakland[14] and Mississippi Valley State[15] around a loss on the road to unranked Kentucky.[16] A shocking loss on the road at Wright State added to the early season struggles and ended the non-conference slate.[17] MSU would enter the Big Ten schedule at 9–4 and ranked No. 11 in the country.

Big Ten play

[edit]

Cleaves returned to the Spartans lineup on January 5, 2000, to help the Spartans to wins over Penn State[18] and Iowa.[18] Led by Cleaves the Spartans defeated No. 9 Indiana[19] before losing their first Big Ten game on the road to No. 7 Ohio State.[20] The loss stopped MSU's 21-game conference winning streak dating back to 1999. The Spartans bounced back with wins over Northwestern[21] in back-to-back games, holding Northwestern to 29 points in the second game.[22] A win over Illinois led by Charlie Bell's 20 points led to a matchup against rival Michigan with the Spartans at 15–5, 6–1 on the season.[23] In Ann Arbor, MSU faced the Wolverines as Michigan was without leading scorer Jamal Crawford who was declared ineligible 20 minutes before the game started because of NCAA investigations.[24] Led by Morris Peterson's 32 points and 10 rebounds, MSU had no problems with Michigan, winning by 20.[24] MSU then stepped out of conference for a matchup with No. 7 Connecticut, a fellow participant in the prior year's Final Four.[25] The Spartans easily beat the Huskies, scoring 25 second-chance points and 20 points off Huskie turnovers.[25] MSU returned to the Big Ten to face Purdue in West Lafayette and were upset, falling 70–67.[26] The loss dropped the Spartans to 17–6, 7–2. The Spartans rebounded to beat Wisconsin in Madison[27] before beating No. 7 Ohio State to avenge their earlier loss.[28] A close win over Wisconsin in East Lansing marked their 26th straight win in the Breslin Center and pushed the Spartans to 10–2 in conference.[29] A road win over Penn State[30] preceded an overtime road loss to No. 16 Indiana.[31] MSU returned home and blew out Minnesota 79–43.[32] In the final regular season game of the season, the Spartans faced Michigan again. Cleaves dished out 20 assists as he set the then Big Ten career record for assists in the 114–63 thumping of the Wolverines.[33]

The Spartans finished the conference slate with a 13–3 conference record and 23–7 overall while being ranked No. 2 in the country. MSU earned a share of the Big Ten regular season title with Ohio State, their third consecutive championship.

Big Ten tournament

[edit]

The Spartans went on to win the third annual Big Ten tournament as the No. 2 seed, defeating No. 25 Illinois for the championship for the second consecutive year.[34] Cleaves and Peterson were named to the All–Tournament Team and Peterson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.[34]

NCAA Tournament

[edit]

As a result of their strong finish, the Spartans were awarded the No. 1 seed, their second consecutive No. 1 seed, in the Midwest region of the NCAA tournament. From there, the Spartans cruised to their third consecutive Sweet Sixteen with wins over Valparaiso,[35][36] and Utah.[37][38] MSU continued their national championship push by reaching their second consecutive Final Four with wins over Syracuse[39][40] and Iowa State.[41][42] MSU won every game by double digits despite playing the best possible seed in each round. In their Final Four matchup, Michigan State faced off against fellow Big Ten foe, Wisconsin, beating them in a hard-fought game, 53–41.[43]

In the national championship game, the Spartans triumphed over the Florida 89–76, despite losing Cleaves to an ankle injury 3:42 into the second half.[44] Cleaves eventually returned, severely limping and in obvious pain, to lead the Spartans to the championship.[45] Cleaves was subsequently named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Joining Cleaves on the NCAA All-Tournament Team were Morris Peterson, Charlie Bell, and A.J. Granger. The national championship was the school's second ever basketball national companionship and first since 1979.

Roster and statistics

[edit]
1999–2000 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team[46]
Number Name Class Position Height Points Rebounds Assists
25 Aloyisus Anagonye FR F 6'8" 2.9 3.0 0.3
55 Adam Ballinger FR F 6'9" 2.0 1.7 0.3
14 Charlie Bell JR G 6'3" 11.5 4.9 3.2
20 Mike Chappell JR F 6'9" 5.9 2.2 0.6
22 Steve Cherry SR F 6'6" 0.7 0.2 0.3
12 Mateen Cleaves SR G 6'2" 12.1 1.8 6.9
43 A. J. Granger SR F 6'9" 9.5 5.3 1.2
34 Andre Hutson JR F 6'8" 10.2 6.2 1.5
15 Mat Ishbia FR G 5'10" 0.5 0.2 0.2
42 Morris Peterson SR F 6'7" 16.8 6.0 1.3
23 Jason Richardson FR F 6'6" 5.1 4.1 0.6
10 Brandon Smith JR G 5'11" 0.4 0.2 0.8
11 David Thomas JR F 6'7" 2.4 2.4 1.5

Schedule and results

[edit]
Date
time, TV
Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
city, state
Exhibition
Nov 5, 1999*
7:30 pm
California All-Stars W 115–66 
 25  Richardson   10  Anagonye   6  Peterson  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Nov 5, 1999*
7:30 pm
Mexican All-Stars W 79–69 
 18  Peterson   8  Richardson   7  Bell  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Regular season
Nov 22, 1999*
7:30 pm
No. 3 Toledo W 78–33  1–0
 19  Peterson   10  Tied   5  Thomas  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Nov 25, 1999*
12 pm, ESPN2
No. 3 vs. Providence
Puerto Rico Shootout
W 82–58  2–0
 18  Peterson   7  Ballinger   8  Bell  Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez 
Bayamon, PR
Nov 26, 1999*
2:30 pm
No. 3 vs. South Carolina
Puerto Rico Shootout semifinals
W 59–56  3–0
 21  Peterson   5  Granger   3  Tied  Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez (897)
Bayamon, PR
Nov 27, 1999*
7:00 pm
No. 3 vs. No. 20 Texas
Puerto Rico Shootout championship
L 74–81  3–1
 17  Huston   7  Hutson   4  Tied  Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez 
Bayamon, PR
Dec 1, 1999*
9:00 pm, ESPN
No. 8 at No. 2 North Carolina
ACC-Big Ten Challenge
W 86–76  4–1
 31  Peterson   10  Hutson   7  Thomas  Dean Smith Center (21,572)
Chapel Hill, NC
Dec 3, 1999*
6:00 pm
No. 8 Howard
Coca-Cola Spartan Classic
W 75–45  5–1
 14  Hutson   10  Hutson   4  Tied  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Dec 4, 1999*
8:30 pm
No. 8 Eastern Michigan
Coca-Cola Spartan Classic championship
W 74–57  6–1
 16  Peterson   7  Richardson   6  Thomas  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Dec 7, 1999*
6:00 pm, ESPN
No. 4 vs. No. 5 Kansas
Great Eight
W 66–54  7–1
 21  Bell   10  Peterson   4  Tied  United Center (13,127)
Chicago, IL
Dec 11, 1999*
12:00 pm, CBS
No. 4 at No. 2 Arizona L 68–79  7–2
 20  Bell   6  Thomas   4  Peterson  McKale Center (14,441)
Tucson, AZ
Dec 18, 1999*
7:30 pm
No. 5 Oakland W 86–51  8–2
 20  Bell   7  Hutson   4  Thomas  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Dec 23, 1999*
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 5 at Kentucky L 58–60  8–3
 18  Peterson   9  Richardson   3  Bell  Rupp Arena (23,318)
Lexington, KY
Dec 28, 1999*
7:30 pm
No. 8 Mississippi Valley St. W 96–63  9–3
 22  Peterson   8  Peterson   11  Bell  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Dec 30, 1999*
7:00 pm
No. 8 at Wright State L 49–53  9–4
 17  Granger   7  Bell   2  Tied  Nutter Center (9,413)
Dayton, OH
Jan 5, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN Plus
No. 11 Penn State W 76–63  10–4
(1–0)
 15  Granger   4  Tied   5  Cleaves  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Jan 8, 2000
8:00 pm, ESPN Plus
No. 11 at Iowa W 75–53  11–4
(2–0)
 29  Peterson   8  Peterson   7  Bell  Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500)
Iowa City, IA
Jan 11, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 11 No. 9 Indiana W 77–71 OT 12–4
(3–0)
 22  Bell   8  Tied   8  Cleaves  Breslin Center (15,138)
East Lansing, MI
Jan 20, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 10 at No. 13 Ohio State L 67–78  12–5
(3–1)
 20  Peterson   11  Peterson   7  Cleaves  Value City Arena (19,100)
Columbus, OH
Jan 22, 2000
12:07 pm, ESPN Plus Regional
No. 10 Northwestern W 69–45  13–5
(4–1)
 14  Bell   8  Tied   7  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Jan 27, 2000
8:00 pm, ESPN Plus
No. 9 at Northwestern W 59–29  14–5
(5–1)
 19  Peterson   10  Hutson   9  Cleaves  Welsh-Ryan Arena (5,907)
Evanston, IL
Jan 30, 2000
1:00 pm, CBS
No. 9 Illinois W 91–66  15–5
(6–1)
 20  Bell   11  Hutson   11  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Feb 1, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 8 at Michigan
Rivalry
W 82–62  16–5
(7–1)
 32  Peterson   10  Tied   6  Cleaves  Crisler Arena (13,562)
Ann Arbor, MI
Feb 5, 2000*
1:00 pm, CBS
No. 8 No. 7 Connecticut W 85–66  17–5
 16  Peterson   8  Granger   8  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Feb 8, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 6 at Purdue L 67–70  17–6
(7–2)
 17  Granger   12  Granger   9  Cleaves  Mackey Arena (14,123)
West Lafayette, IN
Feb 12, 2000
9:00 pm, ESPN
No. 6 at Wisconsin W 61–44  18–6
(8–2)
 18  Peterson   11  Granger   4  Cleaves  Kohl Center (17,142)
Madison, WI
Feb 15, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 6 No. 7 Ohio State W 83–72  19–6
(9–2)
 26  Peterson   11  Peterson   7  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Feb 19, 2000
4:30 pm, ESPN Plus Regional
No. 6 Wisconsin W 59–54  20–6
(10–2)
 15  Tied   6  Richardson   6  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Feb 23, 2000
9:00 pm, ESPN Plus
No. 5 at Penn State W 79–63  21–6
(11–2)
 17  Peterson   10  Thomas   10  Cleaves  Bryce Jordan Center (11,954)
University Park, PA
Feb 26, 2000
2:00 pm, CBS
No. 5 at No. 16 Indiana L 79–81 OT 21–7
(11–3)
 22  Cleaves   10  Peterson   4  Bell  Assembly Hall (17,412)
Bloomington, IN
Mar 2, 2000
7:00 pm, ESPN
No. 7 Minnesota W 79–43  22–7
(12–3)
 18  Chappell   12  Richardson   9  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Mar 4, 2000
12:22 pm, ESPN Plus
No. 7 Michigan
Rivalry
W 114–63  23–7
(13–3)
 31  Bell   10  Hutson   20  Cleaves  Breslin Center (14,659)
East Lansing, MI
Big Ten tournament
Mar 10, 2000
6:40 pm, ESPN Regional
(2) No. 5 vs. (7) Iowa
quarterfinals
W 75–65  24–7
 22  Peterson   9  Tied   7  Cleaves  United Center (19,627)
Chicago, IL
Mar 11, 2000
4:00 pm, CBS
(2) No. 5 vs. (6) Wisconsin
semifinals
W 55–46  25–7
 18  Peterson   8  Hutson   7  Cleaves  United Center (22,011)
Chicago, IL
Mar 12, 2000
2:30 pm, CBS
(2) No. 5 vs. (4) No. 25 Illinois
championship
W 76–61  26–7
 17  Granger   6  Tied   6  Tied  United Center (19,663)
Chicago, IL
NCAA tournament
Mar 16, 2000*
7:40 pm, CBS
(1 MW) No. 2 vs. (16 MW) Valparaiso
First Round
W 65–38  27–7
 15  Cleaves   10  Richardson   8  Cleaves  Wolstein Center (13,374)
Cleveland, OH
Mar 18, 2000*
3:30 pm, CBS
(1 MW) No. 2 vs. (8 MW) Utah
Second Round
W 73–61  28–7
 21  Cleaves   8  Hutson   5  Cleaves  Wolstein Center (13,374)
Cleveland, OH
Mar 23, 2000*
7:38 pm, CBS
(1 MW) No. 2 vs. (4 MW) No. 16 Syracuse
Sweet Sixteen
W 75–58  29–7
 21  Peterson   6  Bell   7  Cleaves  The Palace of Auburn Hills (21,214)
Auburn Hills, MI
Mar 25, 2000*
7:00 pm, CBS
(1 MW) No. 2 vs. (2 MW) No. 6 Iowa State
Elite Eight
W 75–64  30–7
 18  Tied   11  Hutson   2  Tied  The Palace of Auburn Hills (21,214)
Auburn Hills, MI
Apr 1, 2000*
5:42 pm, CBS
(1 MW) No. 2 vs. (8 W) Wisconsin
Final Four
W 53–41  31–7
 20  Peterson   10  Hutson   2  Bell  RCA Dome (43,116)
Indianapolis, IN
Apr 3, 2000*
9:18 pm, CBS
(1 MW) No. 2 vs. (5 E) No. 13 Florida
National championship
W 89–76  32–7
 21  Peterson   9  Granger   5  Tied  RCA Dome (43,116)
Indianapolis, IN
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time..

Rankings

[edit]
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
Week
PollPre23456789101112131415161718Final
AP3238455811111098665752

Awards and honors

[edit]
  • Mateen Cleaves – NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player[47][48]
  • Mateen Cleaves – All-Big Ten First Team
  • Morris Peterson – All-Big Ten First Team
  • Morris Peterson – Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball
  • Morris Peterson – Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player

References

[edit]
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  5. ^ "Spartans Rout Friars, 82-58". Retrieved April 28, 2017.
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  18. ^ a b "Cleaves Sparks Win Over Penn State". Retrieved April 28, 2017.
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