Tom Izzo has been at the helm for 30 years now, and as he closes in on Bobby Knight for the all-time Big Ten wins record. I thought we should look back at some of Izzo’s most memorable Big Ten wins.
Tom Izzo earned his first Big Ten victory in his first game of the league schedule during the 1995-96 season. It even came against the great Bobby Knight and his vaunted Hoosiers.
2. Big Ten win No. 19 at No. 5 Purdue (Dec. 30, 1997)
Izzo’s 1997-98 squad kicked off their run for his first Big Ten regular season title by going on the road to a tough Mackey Arena, and best Gene Keady’s top-five-ranked Boilermaker team. Mateen Cleaves begins his run towards player of the year in the Big Ten.
3. Big Ten win No. 30 vs. No. 22 Michigan (Feb. 17, 1998)
Cleaves and the Spartans helped deliver Izzo his first win over rival Michigan. Michigan State was able to escape with an 80-75 victory over No. 22-ranked Michigan.
4. Big Ten win No. 50 vs. Northwestern (Jan. 22, 2000)
Izzo scored Big Ten win No. 50 against the Wildcats, as the Spartans continued their climb towards the 2000 national title.
5. Big Ten win No. 59 vs. Michigan (March 4, 2000)
A record-breaking Senior Day as Mateen Cleaves, AJ Granger, and Morris Peterson said farewell in a 114-63 route.
As Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo continues to climb the ranks of Big Ten coaching legends, it’s worth taking a look back at some of his most memorable conference wins. With each victory, Izzo inches closer to surpassing the legendary Bobby Knight’s record for most conference wins in Big Ten history. Here are a few of Izzo’s standout victories that have helped solidify his place among the all-time greats in the Big Ten:
1. Michigan State vs. Indiana (2000): In a highly anticipated matchup between two powerhouse programs, Izzo’s Spartans emerged victorious with a 73-71 win over Knight’s Hoosiers. This win showcased Izzo’s ability to outcoach one of the greatest minds in college basketball history.
2. Michigan State vs. Wisconsin (2012): In a hard-fought battle that went into overtime, Izzo’s Spartans came out on top with a 63-60 victory over the Badgers. This win highlighted Izzo’s knack for making crucial adjustments and inspiring his team to come out on top in close games.
3. Michigan State vs. Ohio State (2015): Facing off against a tough Ohio State team led by Thad Matta, Izzo’s Spartans pulled off a 59-56 upset on the road. This win showcased Izzo’s ability to prepare his team for tough road environments and come out on top against tough competition.
As Tom Izzo continues to add to his impressive resume in the Big Ten, it’s clear that he is well on his way to cementing his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in conference history. With each passing win, Izzo inches closer to surpassing Bobby Knight’s record and solidifying his place among the coaching elite in college basketball.
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EAST LANSING – After picking up a rare win at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon, Tom Izzo had plans for the evening.
The Michigan State coach intended to get back on campus and attend the hockey game before preparing for the team’s next matchup. Initially expecting to be back in East Lansing about 6:30 p.m., the Spartans didn’t return until about 3:30 a.m. due to flight delays.
“As crazy as it sounds,” Izzo said on Monday, “after the game and yesterday, I learned as much about my team as I did in five games of competition.”
After topping Rutgers 81-74 on Saturday for their 12th straight win to snap Izzo’s five-game skid at MSG, the No. 7 Spartans (17-2, 8-0 Big Ten) left New York for their charter flight out of Newark. Then maintenance delays piled up both on the tarmac and at a local hotel before the wheels finally went up about 1:20 a.m.
“I didn’t have one guy complaining. … The coach was complaining, I promise you that,” Izzo said. “There were people that got a few ear loads of what I thought of the whole deal because I didn’t think it was handled right, people were lying to us about things.”
It was the team’s second straight road trip with travel problems, following delays getting in and out of Chicago earlier this month for a game at Northwestern. Senior guard Jaden Akins spent the downtime in Newark watching film and movies and getting a little sleep. The Spartans returned to the court on Sunday with an altered schedule amid a quick turnaround before hosting Minnesota (11-9, 3-6), which has won three straight, on Tuesday (8 p.m., Peacock) at the Breslin Center.
“The meetings were great, the practice we cut it short but we got at it a little bit and they were great,” Izzo said. “I think that was a sign of maturity. The head coach was immature, the players were very mature.”
Even with some private flight problems, a lot of people would gladly take Michigan State’s team travel accommodations. There will be a lot bigger challenges ahead for the Spartans, who are wildly exceeding preseason expectations. So far.
“I think we’re building a base that’s good enough to handle a lot of things,” Izzo said. “We’ll see if that’s true.”
In a recent game against Purdue, Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo was seen visibly frustrated with his team’s inability to handle the ball and commit costly turnovers. As he stomped up and down the sidelines and yelled at his players, it was clear that Izzo’s anger stemmed from the team’s lack of discipline and execution on the court.
While some may view Izzo’s outburst as a negative display of emotions, it actually provides a valuable lesson about the high standards he holds for his players and the program as a whole. Izzo’s passion and intensity are a reflection of his commitment to excellence and his desire to push his players to be their best.
The travel trouble that plagued the Spartans in that game serves as a reminder that attention to detail and focus are crucial in order to succeed at the highest level of competition. Izzo’s reaction serves as a wake-up call for his team to tighten up their game and not let mistakes go unchecked.
In the end, Izzo’s travel trouble anger may have been a tough pill to swallow in the moment, but it ultimately serves as a valuable lesson for the Spartans to learn from and improve upon as they continue their season. It’s clear that Izzo’s passion for the game and commitment to excellence will continue to drive his team towards success.
EAST LANSING – Tom Izzo’s first road trip of the week didn’t take him to New York or Los Angles. It brought him across the street from Breslin Center.
The longest tenured coach at Michigan State made the brisk walk across Birch Road in frigid outside temperatures Wednesday morning and strolled into the warm confines of Munn Ice Arena for his weekly press conference. And his first thoughts weren’t about his team’s upcoming trip to Madison Square Garden to face Rutgers on Saturday, but rather the success Adam Nightingale’s top-ranked Spartan hockey team is enjoying.
“The way I look at it,” Izzo began, “they’re (No. 2) in the country – I’m coming to them.”
Despite the temperatures outside, MSU’s winter sports are heating up. And not just with Izzo’s eighth-ranked men’s basketball squad and Nightingale’s program, which has bounced between the top two spots in the major college hockey rankings for much of the winter.
Mike Rowe’s women’s gymnastics team, fresh off a victory over rival Michigan in front of more than 6,000 fans at Breslin on Friday, is No. 4 in the country in this week’s RoadToNationals.com rankings. Harry Jadun’s men’s tennis team pulled off an upset of No. 7 Kentucky on Friday at MSU’s Indoor Tennis Center, won two other home matches over the weekend and made a six-spot leap to No. 17 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s poll Wednesday.
Nightingale’s hockey team split with rival Michigan over the weekend. Robyn Fralick’s No. 22 MSU women’s basketball team won its third straight Sunday at Illinois, at the same time Roger Chandler’s wrestling team beat Buffalo at home.
“That’s all great for me,” said Izzo, who watched and called Friday’s program-first gymnastics meet at Breslin a “an event that was memory-making” for the women. “I’ve been a program guy since I’ve been here, and it matters to me how everybody does.”
Coaches across every sport at MSU have long pointed to Izzo – in his 30th year as head coach and 41st year on campus — as their biggest cheerleader. It goes beyond his love for football, though he has championed every coach since Nick Saban and he took the step from former assistants to leading the Spartans’ two most visible sports in 1995. That has never changed.
Nightingale, whose hockey team is 19-3-2 overall and No. 2 in both the USCHO poll and Pairwise Rankings going into a Friday-Saturday home series with No. 4 Minnesota, credited athletic director Alan Haller for fostering an atmosphere for success. A former Spartan hockey player from 2003-05, Nightingale also recognized the emphasis Izzo places on chasing championships across the board.
“Tom loses himself in the university,” said Nightingale, who has resurrected MSU’s proud hockey tradition in his three seasons. “I talked to him after their their game against Illinois. I thought that was one of the best games I’ve watched, that felt like a tournament game. And his leadership within the coaching ranks at our university is big-time. I think everyone looks up to him, and he’s kind of the guiding light.
“He’s a team guy, he’s a humble guy, he doesn’t make it about himself. And I think when you have someone of that caliber, that makes a big impact on the rest of the coaches, and then it’s pretty easy to follow suit.”
Rowe’s job of establishing MSU gymnastics as a Big Ten champion and national title contender — particularly in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal of the previous decade that affected the program on a number of levels — has been even more impactful and impressive than Nightingale’s turnaround. A program-record crowd of 6,251 watched Friday night as the Spartans carded a season-high in points with their 197.500-196.975 win over the Wolverines, a dual meet that Rowe said turned heads around the country with the huge turnout and presentation on BTN-Plus.
“It was just perfect in my eyes. The team had a great time, and it really boosted them,” said Rowe, the three-year reigning Big Ten women’s gymnastics coach of the year. “And I think everybody took the whole experience to another level and put our program on the map. … On the national stage, Breslin and that event Friday night brought us prominently up to the top.
“We end up No. 4 and all that, it was like, bam, that just happened overnight. And it didn’t happen overnight. There’s been a lot of work, a lot of discussion, a lot of changes, a lot of great support from all different departments that helped contribute to that.”
Izzo’s impact over the weekend also was felt beyond the teams in season, beyond the realm of competition and transcending sports at the most human level.
Jake Boss’ mother, Joanne, died early Friday morning. The 17th-year baseball coach, weeks away from opening his 17th season, said Izzo called him an hour and a half before tipping off Sunday’s 80-78 win over the Illini to console him and his father, Jake Sr., a longtime Lansing Everett High coach and former assistant for his son. Jake Jr. said Izzo also called his dad after the game Sunday as well.
Boss said he appreciated Izzo’s gestures “more than he can know.”
“That guy gets it,” Boss said, “and he is here for the rest of us.”
And while the Boss family was grieving, Izzo played host to Detroit Tigers star pitcher Tarik Skubal before the game. He helped connect the Cy Young Award winner with a few of the Spartans’ baseball players while he was on campus.
“There’s another example of how Tom understands the impact that he can have on other programs here at Michigan State,” Boss said.
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Next up: Scarlet Knights
Matchup: No. 8 Michigan State (16-2, 7-0 Big Ten) vs. Rutgers (10-9, 3-5).
Tipoff: 1:30 p.m. Saturday; Madison Square Garden, New York.
TV/radio: CBS; WJR-AM (760).
Tom Izzo’s impact at Michigan State University extends far beyond the basketball court. As the head coach of the men’s basketball team for over two decades, Izzo has not only built a powerhouse program with multiple Final Four appearances and a national championship, but he has also been a mentor, leader, and role model for countless student-athletes.
Izzo’s commitment to developing his players both on and off the court is evident in the success of his former players, many of whom have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA, overseas, and in various other fields. His emphasis on discipline, hard work, and teamwork has instilled in his players valuable life lessons that have helped them succeed beyond their basketball careers.
In addition to his impact on his players, Izzo has also been a positive influence in the community through his involvement in various charitable endeavors and his commitment to giving back. He has used his platform to raise awareness for important causes and has inspired others to make a difference in their communities.
Overall, Tom Izzo’s impact at Michigan State University transcends basketball and serves as a shining example of the positive influence that a dedicated coach and leader can have on the lives of others.
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