The Michigan State Spartans are FanWide’s #4 College Basketball Team! From the legendary Magic Johnson to their current star guard Cassius Winston, Michigan State basketball has always been led by its elite players. The devout Michigan State fan base, however, has been what has truly helped the Spartans thrive. Top 10 finishes in 6 of 8 categories helped the Spartans snag a prestigious spot in the top 5 among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball teams.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Michigan State Spartans game watch party or fan club near you.
Teams were evaluated in 8 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology):
Category | Count | NCAA Basketball Rank |
Fan Clubs (FanWide) | 104 | 3 |
National Championships (All time) | 2 | T-8 |
NCAA Tournament Wins (Last 10 years) | 21 | 5 |
Regular Season Wins (Last 10 years) | 270 | 6 |
NBA Lottery Picks (Last 10 years) | 2 | 14 |
Attendance (2018) | 14,797 | 13 |
Coach Tenure (Years) | 24 | 3 |
Aggregate Social Media Followers (Thousands) | 656.7 | 7 |
Top 10 So Far:
4. Michigan State Spartans
Fan Clubs: 104 (3rd)
The Spartans have 104 fan clubs listed between FanWide, the world’s largest fan club network, and the school’s official alumni network. Watch party locations for Spartans fans are spread all across the country. If you want to start your own Michigan State fan club in your city, please contact FanWide today!
National Championships: 2 (T-8th)
Michigan State basketball has won two National Championships, in 1979 and 2000. Their most recent appearance came in 2009, with a loss to North Carolina. Given their constant tournament presence, though, it is only a matter of time until another national title returns to East Lansing.
Recent NCAA Tournament Wins: 21 (5th)
Michigan State is always a team to watch in March, given their near-constant appearances and consistent tournament success. The Spartans have appeared in the NCAA Tournament in each of the past 10 seasons, highlighted by 4 Final Four appearances during this span.
Recent Regular Season Wins: 270 (6th)
The Spartans are always a regular-season powerhouse, even in a strong Big Ten conference, finishing each of the past 10 seasons with a winning percentage above .500. Their strong conference play has extended into tournament season, winning 4 recent Big Ten championships, highlighted by a conference title this past season.
Recent NBA Lottery Picks: 2 (14th)
Only two former Spartans have been selected among the top 14 picks in the NBA draft in recent years. In 2014, guard Denzel Valentine, a four-year star in East Lansing, was taken 14th overall by the Chicago Bulls. In 2018, rising NBA star forward-center Jaren Jackson Jr. was selected at number 4 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.
Attendance in 2018: 14,797 (13th)
Fans and students alike always come out to support their Spartans. Their average attendance exceeds the Breslin Center’s listed capacity of 14,759
Coach Tenure: 24 years (3rd)
Over his illustrious career in East Lansing spanning more than two decades, coach Tom Izzo has built the Spartans into the powerhouse they are today. Izzo’s numerous achievements include 8 Final Four appearances and 6 Big Ten tournament championships. As a result of his many accolades, Izzo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Aggregate Social Media Followers: 656,700 (7th)
The Spartans have a strong social media presence, finishing 7th in the category with over 650,000 followers across the three main platforms (114k Facebook likes, 431k Twitter followers, 116k Instagram followers). All three of these accounts are excellent sources of news, highlights, and other content for Spartans fans.
Top 15 finishes in all 8 categories and top 10 finishes in 6 categories propelled Michigan State to the #4 spot among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams.
No matter where you live or travel, you can find other Michigan State Spartan fan clubs near you through FanWide, the world’s largest fan club network.
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