<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> 1957, 1959, 1967, 1978, 1979, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018 </Td> </Tr> <P> The Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represents Michigan State University (MSU) and competes in the Big Ten Conference of NCAA Division I College basketball . Their home games are played at the Breslin Student Events Center . Tom Izzo has been the head coach since 1995 . The Spartans have won two NCAA championships and 14 Big Ten Conference Championships . Their two National Championships came in the 1979 NCAA Tournament and the 2000 NCAA Tournament . The 1979 National Championship Game was the most watched college basketball game in history, with 35.11 million television viewers . The 1979 National Championship team was coached by Jud Heathcote and included tournament MVP Magic Johnson, Greg Kelser and Jay Vincent . The Spartans defeated the previously unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores, led by future Hall of Famer Larry Bird . The 2000 National Championship team defeated the Florida Gators in the final . The team was coached by Tom Izzo and led by players Morris Peterson, Charlie Bell, Jason Richardson and tournament MVP Mateen Cleaves . </P> <P> The Spartans have participated in 32 NCAA tournaments and in 21 consecutive NCAA tournaments (1998--2018), the fifth - longest streak ever and third - longest active streak in college basketball, behind Kansas (28) and Duke (22). Michigan State has the seventh most all - time Final Four appearances with nine (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, and 2015). The program is also ninth all - time in NCAA tournament winning percentage (. 677, through 2018). </P> <P> The first established coach for Michigan Agricultural College (MSU's name at the time), Charles Bemies was also the first athletic director in school history, while also coaching the football, baseball, and track teams . His two - year stint as basketball head coach ended in 1901 . MAC's second basketball coach was George Denman . Denman is the only basketball coach to go undefeated during his tenure, posting an 11--0 mark during his two seasons . His team still holds the record for largest margin of victory with a 102--3 defeat of Alma College in 1902 . MAC's first full - time athletic director and one of the Spartans' most successful coaches, Chester 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 was the first alumnus to lead a Michigan State basketball squad . He compiled a career record of 41--38 over four seasons . Gauthier left after 29 games in 1919--20, posting a 15--14 record . Lyman Frimodig coached the final seven games of the season, going 6--1 . He would also serve as head coach for the next two seasons . He remained active in the athletic department after his stint as basketball coach, serving Michigan State for 41 years as assistant athletic director and business manager </P>

When was the last time michigan state was in the final four