The Spartans were coached by Jud Heathcote in his third year and played their home games at Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Michigan.

They beat Providence in the first round of the NCAA tournament and Western Kentucky in the Mideast Regional semifinal.

A loss on the final day of the season to Wisconsin resulted in the Spartans slipping into a tie for the Big Ten championship with Iowa and Purdue.

MSU received a bid to the NCAA tournament because of a better head-to-head performance against Big Ten rivals and a superior overall record (21–6).

Michigan State advanced to the Final Four by defeating Lamar, LSU and No.

1-ranked and undefeated Indiana State led by senior Larry Bird.

After two years in college, in which he averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, Johnson declared for the 1979 NBA draft.