1968–69 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1968–69 Michigan State Spartans Michigan State Spartans script.svg Big Ten Conference Big Ten 11–12 6–8 John E. Benington Gus Ganakas Robert Nordmann 4th Lee Lafayette Jenison Fieldhouse 120 The 1968–69 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represented Michigan State University in the 1968–69 NCAA Division I men's basketball season as members of the Big Ten Conference. They played their home games at Jenison Fieldhouse in East Lansing, Michigan and were coached by John E. Benington in his fourth year as head coach of the Spartans. The Spartans finished the season 11–12, 6–8 in Big Ten play to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/michigan-state/1969.html 1968-69 Michigan State Spartans Roster and Stats College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com en 2017-08-10 The season marked the final season for head coach John Benington. Prior to the next season, on September 10, 1969, Benington suffered a heart attack and died after jogging at Jenison Fieldhouse at the age of 47.http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/16-17MediaGuide.pdf 16-17 Michigan State Spartans Michigan State University April 16, 2022 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20190415035346/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/16-17MediaGuide.pdf April 15, 2019 Ganakas, an assistant under Benington, was promoted to head coach for the season. Previous season The Spartans finished the 1967–68 season 12–12, 6–8 in Big Ten play to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place. Roster and statistics 1968–69 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball teamNoNamePosYearHeightPtsReb11Lloyd WardGJR5–104.31.312Tim BograkosGSO6–15.81.714Eddie HumphreyG SO 6–20.715Steve SizemoreFSO6–20.221Rudy BenjaminG SO6–37.72.624John HolmsFSR 6–43.12.025Robert GaleFJR6–53.12.431Harrison StepterGSR 6–39.24.032Steve KirkpatrickGJR6–21.233Paul DeanGSO6–11.61.134Tom LickCSR6–103.73.035Lee LafayetteCSR 6–618.710.341James GibbonsFJR6–510.75.744Ron BingeFJR6–51.30.945Bernie CopelandFSR6–610.36.9 Source Schedule and results no no |- !colspan=9 style=Michigan State Spartans| Regular season Dec 3, 1968 yes 1968–69 Southwestern Louisiana Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Southwestern Louisiana Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 90–84 1–0 Dec 6, 1968 yes 1968–69 Western Michigan Western Michigan Broncos Western Michigan Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 86–71 2–0 Dec 7, 1969 yes yes Toledo The Field House Toledo, OH 81–80 3–0 Dec 13, 1960 yes 1968–69 Butler Butler Bulldogs Butler Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 70–60 4–0 Dec 14, 1968 yes yes 1968–69 Western Kentucky Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Western Kentucky 15 Chicago Stadium Chicago, IL 63–67 4–1 Dec 16, 1968 yes yes 1968–69 Nebraska Nebraska Cornhuskers Nebraska Nebraska Coliseum Lincoln, NE 59–73 4–2 Dec 27, 1968 yes yes St. John's Madison Square Garden New York, NY ECAC Holiday Festival 51–61 4–3 Dec 28, 1968 yes yes 1968–69 Villanova Villanova Wildcats Villanova 5 Madison Square Garden New York, NY ECAC Holiday Festival 66–75 4–4 Jan 4, 1969 1968–69 Northwestern Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern 71–85 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 4–5 0–1 Jan 7, 1969 Wisconsin 77–67 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 5–5 1–1 Jan 14, 1969 yes Iowa 76–77 Iowa Field House Iowa City, IA 5–6 1–2 Jan 18, 1969 yes Northwestern 19 89–75 Welsh-Ryan Arena Evanston, IL 6–6 2–2 Jan 25, 1968 Michigan 70–75 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI Rivalry 6–7 2–3 Feb 1, 1969 yes Indiana 76–79 Assembly Hall Bloomington, IN 6–8 2–4 Feb 8, 1969 yes Michigan Rivlary 86–82 Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, MI 7–8 3–4 Feb 11, 1969 yes yes Notre Dame 71–59 Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center South Bend, IN 8–8 Feb 15, 1969 Illinois 8 75–70 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 9–8 4–4 Feb 18, 1969 Iowa 78–60 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 10–8 5–4 Feb 22, 1969 yes Wisconsin 64–76 Wisconsin Field House Madison, WI 10–9 5–5 Feb 25, 1969 Purdue 9 72–74 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 10–10 5–6 Mar 1, 1969 1968–69 Ohio State Ohio State Buckeyes Ohio State 14 85–72 Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI 11–10 6–6 Mar 4, 1969 yes Illinois 20 57–71 Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 11–11 6–7 Mar 8, 1969 yes 1968–69 Minnesota Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota 65–78 Williams Arena Minneapolis, MN 11–12 6–8 Sourcehttps://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/michigan-state/1968-schedule.html 1968-69 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results - College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com References Category:Michigan State Spartans men's basketball seasons Michigan State Michigan State Spartans basketball Michigan State Spartans basketball