PHOTO: The Sports Illustrated cover after Michigan State’s 1979 national title game against Indiana State.

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More from Michigan State playing at the Garden, January 22, Carr soaring to develop overall game

More from the Garden: January 25, Michigan State’s depth neutralizes Rutgers

More from the Garden: January 27, Carr shines under New York’s bright lights

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By TOM SHANAHAN

NEW YORK – Every now and then we need to remind ourselves that Earvin “Magic” Johnson – his identity at Michigan State before Lakers fans dropped his given name – spoiled us.

He made it look too easy to meet expectations of turning a program into a national contender overnight. I was reminded again Saturday at Madison Square Garden while watching the Spartans beat Rutgers, 81-74. The Scarlet Knights dropped to 10-10 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play.

Rutgers was supposed to be a Big Ten and maybe make an NCAA run after head coach Steve Pikiell landed the nation’s No. 6 recruiting class with two five-star freshmen — the No. 2 recruit in the nation, small forward Ace Bailey, and No. 3 prospect, combo guard Dylan Harper.

The optimism around Rutgers no doubt was on the same level that Magic cast upon Michigan State’s campus his freshman year, 1977-78. I was the sports editor at the State News, the campus paper, and I can tell you basketball expectations were off the charts.

Heck, even second-year football coach Darryl Rogers said Magic’s presence raised campus spirits across the board. Sure enough, Rogers’ 1977 team reversed a 4-6-1 finish in 1976 to 7-3-1 in 1977. And Magic didn’t play a down.

When basketball season started, Magic promptly led the Spartans to the 1978 Big Ten, their first since a co-title in 1967 and first NCAA bid since 1957. He followed up with the 1979 national championship, the school’s first.

Well, “it’s not as easy” were exactly the words Michigan State coach Tom Izzo used when the New York/New Jersey media asked him why Rutgers has failed to capitalize on its recruiting windfall.

“It is not as easy as everyone thinks,” Izzo said. “Great players do not always win games, great teams do. What I think has been the most impressive is how Steve Pikiell started those four freshmen today. That is hard to do. But Dylan Harper is a hell of a player. Not having him in this game was a big advantage. He just runs that team. So, I think we did a decent job.  Ace Bailey is really good too. We always watch him on film, and I did not think he monopolized the ball at all.”

Hogging the ball must be one of the whispers around Rutgers.

Rutgers began the season ranked No. 25 in the preseason rankings. The only other Big Ten teams ranked were No. 14 Purdue, No. 17 Indiana and No. 22 UCLA (if you count preseason UCLA as a Big Ten school).

Both players have performed, so it’s not as if they turned out to be overrated.

Bailey, a 6-foot-10, 200-pounder with three-point range, averages 19.8 points with 7.9 rebounds. Harper is averaging 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assist. They haven’t hurt their NBA draft stock. Mock drafts project Harper as the No. 2 overall pick and Baldwin No. 3 (Duke freshman Connor Flagg is No. 1).

Against Michigan State, Bailey scored 18 points. Harper only scored six, but a sprained ankle limited him to 13 minutes.

So, why can’t adding two of the top three freshmen in the nation come even close to replicating Magic’s magical season?

Like I said, Magic spoiled us. He had something besides extraordinary talent that can’t be bottled. He lifted the play of his teammates and, of course, the team.

Izzo also pointed out that Rutgers started four freshmen with center Lathan Sommerville (6-10, 275) and forward Dylan Grant (6-7, 205) alongside Bailey and Harper. Bailey and Harper are likely gone to the NBA, but Izzo mentioned the potential of combing veterans with the younger players remaining with the program.

“Hopefully Coach Pikiell can keep his base here. He has some really good players on this team. They all just need some experience, and they are going to be just as good as Harper and Bailey. Steve Pikiell is a hell of a coach.”

When Magic arrived at Michigan State, Greg Kelser was entering his junior season. The athletic Kelser averaged 21.7 points a game as a sophomore on a 10-17 team. Magic proved a perfect match his passing setting up Kelser shaking Jenison Fieldhouse’s rafters with dunks. After two years with Magic, Kelser went from a good player on a bad to team to an All-American and NBA first-round draft pick.

The Spartans have highly ranked recruits under Izzo, but Michigan State wasn’t ranked in the Top 25 in the preseason. They’ve surprised prognosticators with veterans combined with incoming talent. Izzo is putting together one of his best coaching seasons in a 30-year career with a 2000 national title and eight Final Four trips.

Come to think of it, Magic and Izzo have both spoiled us.

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Tom Shanahan is an award-winning sportswriter and frequent contributor to Spartanamag.com. His new book on Michigan State leading college football integration is, “THE RIGHT THING TO DO, The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s.” His first book was “RAYE OF LIGHT, Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the Integration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans.”

I invite you to follow me on Twitter @shanny4055

Below are links to click on to purchase my books focused.

My books tell the true story of college football integration in the 1960s and address the myths and fiction that allowed a false narrative surrounding the 1970 USC-Alabama game to usurp the credit from the true pioneers. As I said when I spoke at the National Sports Media Association book festival, no two books provide an accurate portrayal more than RAYE OF LIGHT and THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I’ll put my facts up against anybody, anytime, anywhere. Watch here.

Click here for my story on the 1962 Rose Bowl and Segregation awarded first place by the Football Writers Association of America. I tell untold stories on Michigan State’s leading role and the true pioneers of college football integration. Click here to read the summary as a first-place story.

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Click here to purchase The Right Thing To Do

THE RIGHT THING TO DO

The True Pioneers of College Football Integration in the 1960s

Foreword by Ruffin McNeill

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Click here to purchase Raye of Light.

RAYE OF LIGHT

Jimmy Raye, Duffy Daugherty, the 1ntegration of College Football and the 1965-66 Michigan State Spartans

Foreword by Tony Dungy

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Click here to purchase my children’s book, Bubba’s Dad, Duffy and College Football’s Underground Railroad

The book for now is only a Kindle version on Amazon. Print and audio platforms available soon.