Michigan State's men’s basketball game vs. Purdue on Feb. 10 is now the Jud Heathcote Tribute Game, the university announced Wednesday night. The Big Ten contest will coincide with MSU's annual reunion of former players.
Heathcote, who died Aug. 28 at age 90, coached the Spartans for 19 years before retiring in 1995. He registered a 340-220 while at the helm in East Lansing, and his teams won three Big Ten Titles. In 1979, in his third season at the school, Heathcote guided the Spartans — who were led by Magic Johnson — to the NCAA championship.
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Since the beginning of the 1976-77 season, Michigan State has had just two head coaches: Heathcote and Tom Izzo, who was an assistant on Heathcote’s staff from 1983-95.
“Jud might be gone, but he will live on as a part of our basketball program and our university as we dedicate the upcoming season to his memory,” Izzo said in a statement. “I can’t wait for that Tribute Game against Purdue. I look forward to seeing so many of his former players paying their respect to a man to whom they owe so much. … Jud had some great battles against the Boilermakers.”
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The Spartans also announced the team will wear patches on their uniforms honoring Heathcote throughout the 2017-18 season. The patch’s design has yet to be released.