The 2011 – 12 Spartans , led by senior Draymond Green , started the season 0 – 2 . However , MSU won the next 15 games in a row to jump into the top ten in the polls . A loss in the regular season finale at home to No. 10 Ohio State meant the Spartans would share the Big Ten regular season championship with Ohio State and Michigan , all of which finished the Big Ten season with a 13 – 5 conference record . In that loss to Ohio State , key freshman reserve , Branden Dawson , tore his ACL , ending his season . As the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament , The Spartans beat Iowa , No. 14 Wisconsin , and No. 7 Ohio State to win the Tournament championship , their first Tournament championship since 2000 . Draymond Green earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors , the fifth time a player had done so under Tom Izzo . Izzo was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year . MSU received a No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament , where they beat LIU – Brooklyn in the First Round behind Green 's triple-double . The Spartans overcame Saint Louis in the Second Round to advance to the Sweet Sixteen . This marked the 10th time in 15 seasons that the Spartans advanced to at least the Sweet Sixteen . The Spartans , missing Dawson and struggling offensively , became the first No. 1 seed to lose in the Tournament , falling to No. 17 and No. 4-seeded Louisville
Big Ten Tournament
2011 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
Michigan State Spartans men's basketball