Sports: Spartans Finish Third in Big Ten

SPARTANS FINISH THIRD IN BIG TEN

Although key injuries halted its NCAA run, the MSU cagers achieve one of the best Spartan basketball seasons in history.

There are two ways to evaluate a season. One, look at the record, and two, see if it surpassed expectations. On both counts, MSU's 1991-92 men's basketball season was a success. Picked to finish 5th or lower in the Big Ten, MSU tied for third enroute to a 22-7 season Jud Heathcote's (and MSU's) fifth 20- game winning season in history and a No. 14 national ranking in the final AP poll. For the third straight year, the Spartans made the NCAA tournament, earning a No. 5 seed. In addition, MSU won two tournaments, beating national powerhouse Arkansas in the Maui Classic and single-handily winning its Oldsmobile Classic. MSU beat three Final Four teams--Indiana, Michigan and ironically Cincinnati, which ousted the Spartans in the NCAA second round--as well as such powerhouses as Stanford and Nebraska.

'You tend to lose perspective when you lose your last game,' philosophizes Jud Heathcote. 'But you always lose your last game, unless you win the NCAA championship. We had a successful season with many positives and we need to build on those positives.'

There is certainly plenty on which to build. The year began auspiciously. The Spartans raised eyebrows by winning the Maui Classic--beating national powerhouse Arkansas in the final despite torrid heat and humidity. Redshirt freshman Sean Respert proved an instant replacement for the scoring punch of departed All-American Steve Smith. The team many experts predicted would sink like a lead balloon because of Smith's graduation raced to a 10-0 pre-season and and a Top 20 ranking.

The Big Ten season proved brutal, as usual. MSU swept Wisconsin, Purdue and Northwestern, and was swept only by Ohio State. The Spartans exacted paybacks against Minnesota, Iowa and Michigan. The season's high point took place just days after the nadir. After a home loss against the Wolverines (on associate coach Tom Izzo's birthday, no less) the team mustered a titanic win over Indiana at Breslin Arena. MSU's dominance in that dramatic caused Hoosier coach Bobby Knight, normally a fireball of sideline energy, to slump inanimately on the bench. Junior Mike Peplowski dominated at center and made first team All-Big Ten. Junior defensive specialist Dwayne Stephens emerged as an offensive threat as well. Anthony Miller contributed at the post while Kris Weshinskey made some memorable buzzer shots, including one that beat Cincinnati after the Spartans trailed by 18 points. Senior co-captains Mark Montgomery and Matt Steigenga wound up with 87 career wins, the most in Spartan history, while making Academic All-Big Ten. 'Their impact on our program the last four years has been tremendous,' reflects Heathcote. 'They provided great leadership on and off the court. They are both excellent students, were excellent role models for our younger players, and were great competitors on the court.'

Matt and Mark wound up making the NIT Final Four and three NCAAs. Matt won the Oldsmobile Classic MVP three times and wound up as the 11th all-time scorer in MSU history. Mark led the Big Ten in assists two straight years and ranks second in MSU career assists, behind Scott Skiles of the Orlando Magic. Late-season injuries to both Steigenga and Peplowski, however, slowed the Spartan run in the NCAAs for yet another postseason disappointment.

Next year, however, Heathcote, Izzo and assistant coach Stan Joplin look forward to a consensus Top 10 recruiting class. Ohioans Quinton Brooks and Jamie Fieck were both ranked in the Top 25 nationally, while Steve Polonowski and David Hart were Top 100 recruits. In addition, injury redshirt Andy Penick will be back.