3 Best MSU March Madness Moments from Last Decade

Michigan State hasn't missed an NCAA Tournament in nearly three decades.

This year marks the 28th time in a row that March Madness is being held with the Spartans in it. MSU has had a lot of great memories over the years, so we'll just narrow it down to the last 10 tournaments. Here are the three moments that have stood out since 2015 (technically, it's 11 years, but COVID took away the 2020 tournament).

The 'Carr Wash' Dunk (2025)

There may be some recency bias involved here, but Coen Carr's dunk late in the game against Ole Miss in the Sweet 16 stands out to me.

MSU was down by one point with the game getting close to that "crunch time" phase. This play is not something that happens often. Jeremy Fears Jr. lept high into the air to deflect a pass (also knocking down Ole Miss' Sean Pedulla like a bowling pin in the process), and the loose ball went right into Carr's hands.

Coen Carr is one of the most athletic dunkers I think I’ve ever seen.

He made a wild, highlight-reel slam in Michigan State’s win over Ole Miss.

pic.twitter.com/NzKxoAeU6F
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 29, 2025

CBS's Ian Eagle got creative with the call after the fact, saying, "we get the full Carr wash!"

It's the biggest highlight from the game that took the Spartans to their first Elite Eight since 2019 (more on that below). It flipped the lead from the Rebels to Michigan State. Also, it was a dunk by Coen Carr. Those are always fun.

Run to Final Four as 7 Seed (2015)

Mar 29, 2015; Syracuse, NY, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Travis Trice cuts a piece of the net after winning a game against the Louisville Cardinals in the finals of the East Regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Carrier Dome. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Final Fours are always a big deal. It's especially the case when you do it as a 7-seed, just due to the unexpected nature of it. Across the 10 Final Fours in MSU's history, the 2015 run at that seed is the worst seed that has made it. The Spartans have also done it twice as a 5 seed --- all others have been a 1- or a 2-seed (1957 didn't have seeds).

First, it was No. 10 seed Georgia. Then there was the upset over second-seeded Virginia. Then it was 3-seed Oklahoma in the Sweet 16. Finally, Michigan State topped No. 4 seed Louisville (whom the Spartans might play in the second round this year) in the Elite Eight.

Elite Eight Upset of Duke (2019)

Michigan State's top moment over this span is still its victory over Duke in 2019. The Spartans were still a 2-seed that year in the NCAA Tournament, but being placed in the same region as the Blue Devils was supposed to be a death sentence. Duke had a generationally talented recruiting class of Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Tre Jones that got Fab Five comparisons.

That MSU team, led by Cassius Winston, found a way that day. Winston's steady hand was one of the main differences, as he dropped 20 points, handed out 10 assists, and had four steals. The Spartans' plus-10 turnover differential that day also certainly helped. It delivered Tom Izzo his eighth Final Four, which this year's team is hoping to make nine.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo shakes the hand of an Ohio State assistant before a game at the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI