For Tom Izzo, his career as a head coach began with lessons that still shape him today.
He might not remember all the details—Izzo recalls his 1995 Michigan State team grabbing 26 offensive rebounds in a win against Arkansas, though it was actually 24—but the lesson remains clear.
Some aspects of success never change.
“I always say you can win games in a lot of different ways, but to win championships, it’s pretty standard still,” Izzo said Thursday. “You’ve still got to be able to do things with some accountability and some discipline.”
Michigan State (29-6) is making its 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the longest active streak in the country. At 70 years old, Izzo has guided the Spartans to the Sweet 16 for the 16th time in his career.
“He’s Mount Rushmore of this sport,” said Mississippi coach Chris Beard, whose team will face the second-seeded Spartans on Friday night in the South Region.
“He’s coached in all these different eras of college basketball. He’s had different players, different coaches, different rules, different styles of the game. Now here we are in the name, image, and likeness and portal era, and Michigan State is here on the main stage. What’s the common ingredient? It’s coach Izzo.”
Izzo admits he’s had to adjust over the years.
He had to, to stay relevant in a college scene that’s changed since his early days at Michigan State.
“The fat tie goes out, the skinny tie comes in,” he said with a smile. “The bell bottoms, the straight leg, the miniskirts, the short and long skirts, the different hairstyles. I think that’s where you adapt.”
His players don’t see him as an older figure but as someone with a youthful spirit.
“I feel like he still has a really young spirit at heart,” senior guard Jaden Akins said. “Every day in practice, he always brings the energy. I don’t really think about his age that much.”
It’s been 25 years since Izzo won his only national title.
He’s determined to add another.
“Once you win a national championship, winning a tournament game means nothing,” Izzo said. “To our fans, it doesn’t mean much. To me, it doesn’t mean as much.”
A remarkable comeback season
Out of all the teams in the Sweet 16, Michigan has made the biggest turnaround from last year.
The Wolverines finished 2024 with a record of 8-24, the most losses in program history, which led to the firing of coach Juwan Howard.
Enter Dusty May and a strong group of transfers, who quickly turned Michigan back into a contender. The fifth-seeded Wolverines (27-9) will face top-seeded Auburn on Friday night.
Michigan State players in the practice“Expectations weren’t that high,” said Danny Wolf, part of Michigan’s strong frontcourt with two 7-footers. “As soon as we started playing and meshing, we knew we weren’t really underdogs at that point. We had such a high-level team and high-level locker room.”
Wolf, alongside 7-1 Vladislav Goldin, creates matchup problems for opposing teams.
“It doesn’t happen in one day,” Goldin said. “Day by day, we’ve been getting better and better.”
Is Auburn becoming a basketball school?
While football is still the main sport in the Southeastern Conference, basketball has grown in importance at Auburn.
Under coach Bruce Pearl, the Tigers have thrived even as their football team has struggled.
Sellout crowds and fans camping out for tickets are now a regular occurrence. The team, with a 30-5 record, is the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, with their first national title as the final goal.
“We’re real proud, man,” fifth-year forward Chris Moore said. “We’re going to continue to build on that legacy.”
This could feel like a home game for Auburn, located only 110 miles from Atlanta, with plenty of Auburn fans expected in the crowd at State Farm Arena.
“We love our fans,” freshman point guard Tahaad Pettiford said. “We wouldn’t be where we are without them.”
Ole Miss reaches the Sweet 16 for just the second time
For Ole Miss, reaching the Sweet 16 is a big achievement, as it’s only the second time in the school’s history. Their first appearance was in 2001. If the Rebels (24-11) can defeat Michigan State, it would mark their deepest run in the tournament.
Beard, in his second year as Ole Miss’ coach, pointed out the importance of having three top returning players from the previous year.
“When you study our team and why we’ve been successful, why we’re here on this stage in the Sweet 16, our roster management, I think we did a good job,” Beard said. “The first building block has got to be returners.”
Tom Izzo watches his team practiceA showdown beyond the arc
One of the most exciting matchups in Atlanta will feature Ole Miss’ 3-point shooters, led by Sean Pedulla, against a Michigan State defense that is one of the toughest at defending the 3-pointer.
The Rebels hit 19 of 39 (49%) from long range in their wins over North Carolina and Iowa State last weekend. Pedulla made 5 of 10 from beyond the arc, scoring 20 points in each game.
In their first two tournament games, the Spartans allowed opponents to hit 9 of 37 3-pointers (24%).
“You’ve still got to defend, rebound and run,” Izzo said, “Everybody wants to hear some fancy new phrase, but it’s still the meat and potatoes.”
