1. Best Michigan State basketball seasons: 1978-79
This decision wasn’t particularly close. As one of the most iconic title-winners in March Madness history, there was no question that the 1978-79 Michigan State Spartans were the program’s best team ever.
Much like the 2000 title winners, the foundation of that team was laid the prior year, when Michigan State went 25-5 and advanced all the way to the regional final. That Spartans’ team fell by three to Kentucky, giving the Wildcats their biggest scare on their way to the title.
Sophomore point guard Magic Johnson was on a mission for the Spartans, helping the team earn a share of the Big Ten’s regular-season title with Purdue. The selection committee was very impressed with the Spartans’ body of work, giving them a no. 2 seed in the Mideast Region.
Michigan State easily advanced to the Final Four, where they knocked off Penn to set up a showdown with undefeated Indiana State. The Sycamores featured a young star named Larry Bird, creating the first meeting of what would be the NBA’s defining rivalry for the next decade.
Johnson got the last laugh as Michigan State defeated Indiana State 75-64 to help Jud Heathcoate win his first national championship. The contest remains the most-watched basketball game to this day, a historic achievement that helps this Spartans team stand the test of time as the greatest Michigan State squad ever assembled.
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