Highlights Of A Special 2015-16 Season

March 24, 2016

* Michigan State leads the nation in four different statistical categories, including 3-point field-goal percentage, rebound margin, assists per game, and total assists. The Spartans are ranked in the top three in nine different categories and in the top 10 in 11 different categories.

* MSU's nation's-best rebound margin of +11.4 is the third-best of the Tom Izzo era.

* MSU's nation's-best assist average of 20.5 is the 23rd-best average in NCAA history, while the school record 719 assists are the 22nd-best total in NCAA history. MSU recorded an assist on a nation's-best 71.3 percent of its field goals.

* Michigan State made a school-record 321 3-point field goals, while its nation's-best .434 3-point field-goal percentage established a new school record.

* Michigan State blocked a school-record 177 shots.

* At 79.8 points per game, this was the highest scoring team of the Tom Izzo era and the highest-scoring squad at MSU since Scott Skiles' senior season of 1985-86.

* Michigan State's senior class is tied for the second-winningest class in school history with 112 victories. Over the last four years, the Spartans advanced to four NCAA Tournaments, three Sweet 16s, two Elite Eights and one Final Four, while also capturing two Big Ten Tournament championships.

* Michigan State won 29 games this season, matching the fourth-best total in school history. The Spartans are the only team in the nation to win 27 or more games in each of the last five seasons.

* In Big Ten Conference games, Michigan State leads the conference in 12 stat categories, and was ranked in the top three in 17 of the 21 stats.

* Denzel Valentine became the only player in NCAA history to average 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists since the assist became an official stat in 1983-84. He made or assisted on 50.9 percent of MSU's field goals in games he started and became the first player to lead the Big Ten in overall scoring and assists since Iowa's Andre Woolridge in 1997.

* Valentine finished his career ranked 3rd in career assists (639), 3rd in career games played (144), 4th in career 3-point field goals made (265) and attempted (650), 9th in career rebounds (856), tied for 9th in career games started (117) and 11th in career scoring (1645). He is the only player in Michigan State history to rank in the career Top 10 in both rebounds and assists.

* Matt Costello established a school record with 146 career blocks.

* Bryn Forbes made 112 3-pointers this season, ranking as the third-best single-season total in Michigan State history. Forbes also ranked second in the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage (.481)

* Deyonta Davis shattered the old Michigan State freshman blocks record with 64 rejections, ranking second on the MSU single-season chart.