KALAMAZOO, MI — As a freshman at Michigan State, Dwayne Stephens dunked home a game-winner against Purdue, sealing the 1989-90 Big Ten title for MSU.
The dunk not only put an exclamation point on Stephens’ first year as a Spartan, but on MSU’s inaugural season at the now-storied Breslin Center.
Stephens remembers well what it was like to open the Breslin as a player — and to help lead the Spartans to their first of 12 regular season league titles in the arena’s 35-year history.
As an assistant to Tom Izzo from 2003-2022, he was on the sidelines for six more.
Now entering his fourth season as Western Michigan’s head men’s basketball coach, the 54-year-old Stephens is still seeking his first Mid-American Conference title.
He’s also preparing to help open another new arena.
When his Bro