INDIANAPOLIS – It is the product of Tom Izzo’s unique brand of basketball madness that facing Gonzaga and Kentucky in consecutive games at the start of the 2022-23 season was only the beginning of his plan to torture – he would call it “test” – his Michigan State Spartans.
First the Zags, then UK, then Villanova and Alabama to open the PK80 Invitational and two more high-level games to complete that tournament. Followed by Notre Dame. And then two Big Ten Conference games, for good measure. Izzo didn’t set up those league games himself, but he knew they were coming.
He booked all these other games, at least five against teams that appeared in the 2022 NCAA Tournament and possibly two more in that stretch, regardless. It is not the way everyone does it, but it is the way he’s done it in most of his three decades as MSU’s coach.
“I’m not breaking Mike’s record. Let’s get real here. And so I’ve got nothing to play for as far as wins,” Izzo told The Sporting News, more or less aware Tuesday night’s 86-77 double-overtime victory over No. 4 Kentucky left him 538 career victories behind Duke legend Mike Krzyzewski.
Izzo ranks fifth all-time in Final Four appearances, with eight. In victories, he is 209 behind the closest coach who ranks ahead of him, and he trails the next five coaches on the list, too. Because he’s always scheduled this way to an extent, and mostly it has worked.
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“I’ve got something to play for as far as what we do with my program, my university, and the players that come here and get to experience things that at one time people called it quacky and corny and this and that. I’d like to see someone else play this damn schedule,” he said.
“And yet we set our goals this summer that we’re going to play this thing, and the goal was every day this summer, don’t take a day off, because there’s not going to be a day off until finals. And I thought that mentality really helped us.”
UK’s Oscar Tshiebwe, the reigning Sporting News Player of the Year, was appearing in his first game after limited practice involvement because of preseason knee surgery. Tshiebwe scored 22 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked four shots, but he fouled out on an illegal screen with 32 seconds left in the first overtime. The Wildcats had the ball and a one-point lead at the time. It was a decisive error, presenting MSU with an opportunity to tie – and later win – the game and removing the greatest obstacle toward that task.
Izzo was not claiming to have beaten Kentucky at full strength. “Oscar is not Oscar yet,” he said. Although if Izzo is correct with his assessment of the Wildcats, that they have the potential to be “great”, it will appear as a massive win on the Spartans’ NCAA resume by March.
The Spartans played and defeated Northern Arizona to open the season. If they have any success at the PK80, if they win their first or second game or both, it is likely they will not play another mid- or low-major opponent until Brown visits the Breslin Center on Dec. 10. If they were to play the minimum number of games, meaning just one at the Big Ten Tournament, they’ll have contested 28 of the 32 games against high-major opponents.
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Kentucky coach John Calipari talked about the difficulty of his schedule, which includes a trip to Spokane to play Gonzaga, a game in London against Michigan and one against UCLA at Madison Square Garden, but the Wildcats have seven mid- or low-major opponents. That could be considered the difference between a difficult schedule and one that’s insane.
“That’s why you come to Michigan State. Coach Izzo is not afraid of anyone,” forward Joey Hauser told The Sporting News. “So we can celebrate tonight, but we’ve got to turn around and play a really good team on Friday.”
There were no celebrations after last Friday’s one-point loss to No. 2 Gonzaga, which was played on an aircraft carrier in San Diego in honor of Veteran’s Day. Michigan State held a double-digit lead early in the second half but struggled to defend without fouling and to rebound without its best rebounders once center Mady Sissoko and Hauser fouled out. It was a statement, though, that those choosing not to rank Michigan State were missing that this is a veteran team and thus one that has been presented with multiple years of Izzo’s coaching.
“The advantage of playing these good people is you do learn something about their team,” Izzo said.
“I like this team. I liked them this summer. It’s not my most talented team, but defensively, woo, they were pretty damned good.”
Izzo was asked before leaving about how some who follow the program criticized the Spartans for not bringing in a significant transfer to complement the six regulars who returned from last year’s 23-win team. MSU lost Max Christie to the NBA Draft after he averaged just 9.3 points in his first season. They could have used another top scoring option. But no one transferred out, either.
“That’s an incredible feeling. That’s what my fricking program stands for, is going to stand for,” he said. “We may lose the next five. Who knows?
“You know, loyalty’s a two-way street. I love the fact that they knew. My own fans were on me. We haven’t accomplished anything yet. We’re 2-1. We won a big game against a team that’s been a little hurt. Let’s keep this in perspective. But I liked them before we played the game. I liked them after the loss. I liked them in the summer. I’d just like them to get a little better at not turning the freaking ball over.
“I’m just proud of my guys. I think some of the culture that I lost during COVID, some of the things that went on at our place, I vowed I’m going to get that back. And that’s what we’re trying to do.”
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