Michigan State University Athletics
On This Date: MSU Beats Oklahoma in 1999 to Reach Elite Eight
3/19/2020 5:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
East Lansing, Mich. -Â Sometimes, it takes a setback or tough defeat for a team to come back and make that next step and help propel them to something bigger.
In 1997-98, Michigan State's men's basketball team reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time under head coach Tom Izzo, only to lose to North Carolina.
One year later, on March 19, 1999, the No. 1-seeded Spartans reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1979 in a hard-fought 54-46 win over No. 13 Oklahoma in St. Louis.
Michigan State isn't the smoothest team in the NCAA Tournament, although the Spartans may be the toughest. Oklahoma found that out Friday night.
The Spartans led by only one point, 26-25, at the half, but Izzo challenged his team to win the second half as they had all season – and with words that still echo 25 years later – by defending, rebounding and running.
"We found a way to win 31 other games that way, so why not the 32nd?"Â Izzo said after the game.
MSU held the Sooners scoreless for the first 3:45 of the second half to extend its lead to 32-25 and, despite committing eight turnovers in the next eight minutes, still led five points (36-31) due mainly to its defense.
Perhaps the most remembered play of the game was a collision between MSU All-American guard Mateen Cleaves and Oklahoma star guard Eduardo Najera. The game was stopped for nearly 10 minutes while the players were being attended to by trainers.
Following the delay, a 3-pointer from Charlie Bell and a Morris Peterson dunk gave MSU its biggest lead, 41-31, with 8:36 left in the game.
Both players returned to the game, but Najera was not a factor.  Oklahoma pulled to within four points, 47-43, with 1:41 left, but the Spartans hit five free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
Cleaves hit only 3-of-14 shots and had nine points, but Andre Hutson scored 12 points, Peterson added 11 and A.J. Granger chipped in 10 as the Spartans found a way to grind out the win.
"It was an ugly game," Cleaves said. "It's been an ugly tournament for MSU, to tell you the truth. But the guys are coming through, we've come together as a team and we're in the Great Eight."
The win was the 21st-straight for the Spartans, who improved to 32-4 overall and, at the time, set a school record for most wins in a season.
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In 1997-98, Michigan State's men's basketball team reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time under head coach Tom Izzo, only to lose to North Carolina.
One year later, on March 19, 1999, the No. 1-seeded Spartans reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1979 in a hard-fought 54-46 win over No. 13 Oklahoma in St. Louis.
Michigan State isn't the smoothest team in the NCAA Tournament, although the Spartans may be the toughest. Oklahoma found that out Friday night.
The Spartans led by only one point, 26-25, at the half, but Izzo challenged his team to win the second half as they had all season – and with words that still echo 25 years later – by defending, rebounding and running.
"We found a way to win 31 other games that way, so why not the 32nd?"Â Izzo said after the game.
MSU held the Sooners scoreless for the first 3:45 of the second half to extend its lead to 32-25 and, despite committing eight turnovers in the next eight minutes, still led five points (36-31) due mainly to its defense.
Perhaps the most remembered play of the game was a collision between MSU All-American guard Mateen Cleaves and Oklahoma star guard Eduardo Najera. The game was stopped for nearly 10 minutes while the players were being attended to by trainers.
Following the delay, a 3-pointer from Charlie Bell and a Morris Peterson dunk gave MSU its biggest lead, 41-31, with 8:36 left in the game.
Both players returned to the game, but Najera was not a factor.  Oklahoma pulled to within four points, 47-43, with 1:41 left, but the Spartans hit five free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
Cleaves hit only 3-of-14 shots and had nine points, but Andre Hutson scored 12 points, Peterson added 11 and A.J. Granger chipped in 10 as the Spartans found a way to grind out the win.
"It was an ugly game," Cleaves said. "It's been an ugly tournament for MSU, to tell you the truth. But the guys are coming through, we've come together as a team and we're in the Great Eight."
The win was the 21st-straight for the Spartans, who improved to 32-4 overall and, at the time, set a school record for most wins in a season.
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