MSU's Morgan Brings Unique Experience to NCAA Tournament as Coach

BUFFALO, N.Y. --- Some alumni come back to watch games. Some come back to join the coaching staff.

If you look long enough behind the Michigan State bench during Thursday's NCAA Tournament first-round game against North Dakota State, you'll find Raymar Morgan. He was once a four-year player at MSU from 2006-10, averaging 11.8 points and 5.7 rebounds per game during that time, winning two Big Ten regular season titles and reaching two Final Fours.

Experience at MSU for Morgan

Apr 2, 2010; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Raymar Morgan (right) and guard Durrell Summers (15) during practice the day before the semifinals of the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA mens basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

"Everything," Morgan said on Wednesday when asked what returning to the Spartans means to him. "Just being able to give back the knowledge of some of the wars that I've been in... They say experience is the greatest teacher. It's been wonderful, man."

Those two Final Fours are some of the best experiences Morgan can offer to his newfound pupils. The Spartans would like to get back to a Final Four for the first time since 2019, but are entering on a bit of a skid. MSU lost its last regular-season game against Michigan and then quickly lost in the Big Ten Tournament to UCLA.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo looks on during a game against Rutgers on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Morgan has been in a spot sort of like this. Three teams in Tom Izzo's tenure at Michigan State have failed to win a conference tourney game, but still went on to make the Final Four. Morgan was on the last such team to do so back in 2010.

That year's squad lost to Minnesota in its first game of the Big Ten Tournament, but then went on to the Final Four as a 5-seed. Morgan hit the winning free throw against Tennessee in the Elite Eight, too.

Mar 18, 2026; Buffalo, NY, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo observes and stretches during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Keybank Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

"It sucked," Morgan said about losing quickly in that Big Ten Tournament. "But we had bigger goals. We wanted to get back to the Final Four and accomplish something. We were on a mission back then, so hopefully these guys can take a lesson in history and repeat the same."

Morgan Thinks This Team's Chemistry Is High

Team chemistry and maximizing the overall output of the roster have been some of the strengths of Michigan State's this season. That's a reason Morgan thinks this year's team can perhaps turn that 2010 lesson into another banner in the Breslin rafters.

"We just get along," Morgan said about what makes him think this team can get there. "We gel so well. I think it just depends on how we come out and play, our assertiveness, our aggression in the first half. When we're locked in, we can beat anybody."