The Michigan State Spartans have been doing nothing but silencing all of their doubters this season. Head coach Tom Izzo led his squad to another Big Ten regular-season title, and now his team is on the verge of making the Final Four. The only obstacle standing in their way is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, Auburn.
Izzo is no stranger to the postseason, as the Spartans have made it to the tournament 27 years in a row under his leadership. Michigan State survived an upset from New Mexico in the Round of 32, allowing them to advance to the second weekend of the tournament.
During the week, Izzo was asked about the satisfaction of winning in the March Madness Tournament. His response was dry and straight to the point.
“Once you win a national championship, winning a tournament game means nothing… it doesn’t turn me on,” Izzo said.
The Sweet Sixteen proved to be the toughest battle for the Spartans, and it certainly tested them in every way. Ole Miss has been a gritty team in the tournament, but Michigan State managed to outlast them. It must have been the pre-game walkthrough, which is so crucial to the program.
The Elite Eight will be the toughest game of the year for Izzo and his Spartans, but the longtime college basketball head coach believes there is nothing better than the NCAA Tournament, not even the NBA.
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“All the years you’ve had in basketball — this is where it’s at. This is even better than the NBA,” Izzo told his team.
The Spartans have been playing great this season, but they’ll need to shut down potential National Player of the Year Johni Broome. For Izzo, it’s all about winning another national championship, and now it’s up to his players to bring another title back to East Lansing.
