1968–69 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team
American college basketball season
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.[ 2]
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.[ 3] Ganakas, an assistant under Benington, was promoted to head coach for the season.[ 3]
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 team
No
Name
Pos
Year
Height
Pts
Reb
11
Lloyd Ward
G
JR
5–10
4.3
1.3
12
Tim Bograkos
G
SO
6–1
5.8
1.7
14
Eddie Humphrey
G
SO
6–2
0.7
15
Steve Sizemore
F
SO
6–2
0.2
21
Rudy Benjamin
G
SO
6–3
7.7
2.6
24
John Holms
F
SR
6–4
3.1
2.0
25
Robert Gale
F
JR
6–5
3.1
2.4
31
Harrison Stepter
G
SR
6–3
9.2
4.0
32
Steve Kirkpatrick
G
JR
6–2
1.2
33
Paul Dean
G
SO
6–1
1.6
1.1
34
Tom Lick
C
SR
6–10
3.7
3.0
35
Lee Lafayette
C
SR
6–6
18.7
10.3
41
James Gibbons
F
JR
6–5
10.7
5.7
44
Ron Binge
F
JR
6–5
1.3
0.9
45
Bernie Copeland
F
SR
6–6
10.3
6.9
Source[ 2] [ 3]
Schedule and results
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
Site city, state
Regular season
Dec 3, 1968 *
Southwestern Louisiana
W 90–84
1–0
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Dec 6, 1968 *
Western Michigan
W 86–71
2–0
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Dec 7, 1969 *
at Toledo
W 81–80
3–0
The Field House Toledo, OH
Dec 13, 1960 *
Butler
W 70–60
4–0
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Dec 14, 1968 *
vs. No. 15 Western Kentucky
L 63–67
4–1
Chicago Stadium Chicago, IL
Dec 16, 1968 *
at Nebraska
L 59–73
4–2
Nebraska Coliseum Lincoln, NE
Dec 27, 1968 *
at St. John's ECAC Holiday Festival
L 51–61
4–3
Madison Square Garden New York, NY
Dec 28, 1968 *
vs. No. 5 Villanova ECAC Holiday Festival
L 66–75
4–4
Madison Square Garden New York, NY
Jan 4, 1969
Northwestern
L 71–85
4–5 (0–1)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Jan 7, 1969
Wisconsin
W 77–67
5–5 (1–1)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Jan 14, 1969
at Iowa
L 76–77
5–6 (1–2)
Iowa Field House Iowa City, IA
Jan 18, 1969
at No. 19 Northwestern
W 89–75
6–6 (2–2)
Welsh-Ryan Arena Evanston, IL
Jan 25, 1968
Michigan Rivalry
L 70–75
6–7 (2–3)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Feb 1, 1969
at Indiana
L 76–79
6–8 (2–4)
Assembly Hall Bloomington, IN
Feb 8, 1969
at Michigan Rivlary
W 86–82
7–8 (3–4)
Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, MI
Feb 11, 1969 *
at Notre Dame
W 71–59
8–8
Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center South Bend, IN
Feb 15, 1969
No. 8 Illinois
W 75–70
9–8 (4–4)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Feb 18, 1969
Iowa
W 78–60
10–8 (5–4)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Feb 22, 1969
at Wisconsin
L 64–76
10–9 (5–5)
Wisconsin Field House Madison, WI
Feb 25, 1969
No. 9 Purdue
L 72–74
10–10 (5–6)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Mar 1, 1969
No. 14 Ohio State
W 85–72
11–10 (6–6)
Jenison Fieldhouse East Lansing, MI
Mar 4, 1969
at No. 20 Illinois
L 57–71
11–11 (6–7)
Assembly Hall Champaign, IL
Mar 8, 1969
at Minnesota
L 65–78
11–12 (6–8)
Williams Arena Minneapolis, MN
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
Source
[ 4] [ 3]
References
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons NCAA national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics