On This Date: Michigan State Beats Penn to Reach 1979 Title Game

On This Date: Michigan State Beats Penn to Reach 1979 Title Game

3/24/2020 4:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

East Lansing, Mich. - It was on this date, March 24, 1979, that Michigan State beat Penn to reach the 1979 NCAA Championship Game, posting its first win in a Final Four.

Michigan State opened its championship run with a 95-64 pounding of Lamar, led by Earvin Johnson's triple-double and Greg Kelser's 31 points.

After defeating LSU, MSU met up with top seed Notre Dame in the Regional Final in what was being called the game to decide the NCAA Championship. The Spartans jumped out to a big lead early en route to an 80-68 victory.

Kelser led the way with 34 points, earning All-Region MVP honors, while Johnson joined him on the All-Regional Team.

In the Final Four, the Spartans took on Pennsylvania, who entered the tournament as a No. 9 seed. Johnson recorded his second triple-double of the tournament as MSU led 50-17 at the half and finished with a tournament team record of 101 points in a 101-67 win.