The Spartans have made 29 NCAA tournament appearances, competed in eight Final Fours and have cut down the nets twice. Along the way there have been some memorable moments. Here’s a list of some of the top individual performances by round from past Spartans.
First round: Adreian Payne March 20, 2014
Payne started last year’s tournament off with a bang against Delaware in Spokane, Washington. The power forward, who now plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, set a program record for most points in an NCAA tournament game with 41. Payne made a living at the charity stripe, sinking all 17 of his free throws. After the game, Delaware head coach Monte Ross called Payne “the best big man that I have faced in 21 years of college basketball.”
Second round: Greg Kelser March 10, 1979
Before he was color commentating for the Pistons, Kelser was sinking buckets alongside Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Against 10th seeded Lamar, Kelser scored 31 points and hauled in 14 rebounds en route to a 31-point Spartan victory. The forward would be named a third-team All-American that season and win a national championship.
Regional semifinal: Paul Davis March 25, 2005
The big man was pivotal for the Spartans, who upset No. 1 seeded Duke behind his 20 points and 12 rebounds. Davis, along with Drew Neitzel and Shannon Brown, would advance to the Final Four before being ousted by the North Carolina Tar Heels, a team that would go on to win the national championship. Davis enjoyed a brief stint in the NBA and now plays professionally in Russia.
Regional final: Andre Hutson March 25, 2000
Andre Hutson never reached the stardom of teammates like Morris Peterson, Mateen Cleaves and Jason Richardson but against Iowa State, Hutson had his day in the sun. In just 24 minutes of action, Hutson scored 17 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out two assists. The Spartans won the game 75-64 and went on to win the national championship.
National semifinal: Earvin “Magic” Johnson March 22, 1979
There can’t be a top list concerning MSU basketball without mentioning Johnson. He had a great performance against No. 9 seeded Pennsylvania, posting a triple double to propel MSU to their first national championship appearance. He missed only one shot as he scored 29 points while adding 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
National championship: Earvin “Magic” Johnson March 24, 1979
Johnson followed up his strong outing in the national semifinals with an equally impressive outing against the Larry Bird-led Indiana State Sycamores in a legendary national championship game that would spark one of the greatest NBA rivalries. Johnson cemented his place in MSU lore, posting a game-high 24 points. He also had seven rebounds and five assists in a 75-64 winning effort, bringing the Spartans their first title.
