Did Tom Izzo warn a Big Ten basketball program about not becoming Wisconsin football?

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This story was updated to add new information.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo won his 11th Big Ten regular-season title this week. His Spartans topped the Iowa Hawkeyes 91-84, clinching the outright championship after second-place Michigan’s recent losses to Illinois and Maryland.

Izzo’s place in the pantheon of Big Ten basketball coaches is undeniable. Many will argue he belongs atop the list, especially after surpassing Bob Knight for the most coaching wins in conference history earlier this season. But whether he’s the greatest Big Ten coach of all time or the second-best, Izzo’s wisdom is worth listening to.

One such moment occurred during the legendary coach’s postgame press conference after defeating Iowa on Thursday. He was asked about the state of the Hawkeyes’ program, and whether fans are right in calling for a change at head coach.

Fran McCaffery and the Hawkeyes are 15-15 (6-13 Big Ten) this season. They are currently in line to be one of the three teams to miss the Big Ten Tournament, plus are nearly guaranteed to miss the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive season. That result marks a further step back from a program-best run from 2018-23. While Iowa has had a few downturns since McCaffery’s tenure began in 2010, some are citing this current stretch as a reason to make a change.

Izzo’s response to the question was decisive.

“I look at some of the players he’s had and what they’ve done. You get lucky and unlucky, I just went through a three-year period where everyone wants to ship me out,” Izzo said. “It’s just the way it is. I’m going to say what I think…they don’t have the resources here. Everyone has different amounts of resources. They aren’t on the middle or high end. I love Fran. What he’s gone though here with his own kids and everything. Watch what you wish for. I’ve seen this happen to a couple of football programs close to us. People better appreciate [what they have].”

Izzo’s cautionary tale pointed to some ‘football programs close to’…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/did-tom-izzo-warn-big-154347202.html

Author : Badgers Wire

Publish date : 2025-03-08 15:43:00

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