Tom Izzo, Michigan State are back to winning games. But are Spartans legit?

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LOS ANGELES — As some of college basketball’s coaching greats have stepped away from the ever evolving game, Tom Izzo has stayed put.

He’s done everything one could do. A national championship, eight Final Fours, numerous conference titles while making Michigan State nationally relevant and becoming one of the most well-respected coaches in the country. He could walk away knowing he doesn’t have to prove anything else.

“He’s a leader in his community and his school,” said UCLA head coach Mick Cronin. “If he’s not the dean of college basketball, I don’t know who is.”

It doesn’t feel like he’s slowing down. Now in his 30th season in East Lansing, Izzo is proving he still has some magic left in the tank. After years of a middling NCAA Tournament team, Michigan State is back in the Big Ten championship picture with eyes set on a successful March.

However, a winless trip to Los Angeles questions if the Spartans are legit.

Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo has words with guard Jaden Akins (3) in the second half against against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom.

Michigan State entered the season as an enigma. After another campaign of doing just enough to extend Izzo’s record streak of 26-straight tournament appearances, the Spartans had enough optimism and worry about what 2024-25 could be.

In the annual Champions Classic, the Spartans didn’t look anything like one against Kansas, and the questions about whether it’s deserving of being in the event were only raised further.

Maybe that was jolt; after that loss to the Jayhawks, the Spartans won the next 16 of 17 games, including a third-place finish in the Maui Invitational and a 13-game win streak with no losses in December or January.

How did Michigan State flip the script? Thanks to a mix of young and old. The Spartans have 10 players who average at least 15 minutes a game, getting contributions from veterans like Jaden Akins to younger players like Jase Richardson. The depth has…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/tom-izzo-michigan-state-back-182305469.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2025-02-05 18:23:00

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