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Tom Izzo Had the Perfect Line After Setting Big Ten Wins Record

Izzo eclipsed Bob Knight atop the list.

Kyle Koster

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo thanks the crowd after the game against Oregon on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center East Lansing.
Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo thanks the crowd after the game against Oregon on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State overcame an early 16-point deficit in a hostile environment on Saturday night, surging past Illinois 79-65 to secure Tom Izzo's 354th career Big Ten win. The victory broke a tie with Bobby Knight atop the all-time list, a truly impressive feat of prolonged winning and longevity. Izzo, who is in his 30th season leading the Spartans, joined Fox's Jim Jackson for an on-court interview after surpassing the mark.

"I just want to be thankful for the 148 players I coached," Izzo said. "Each one of them got a win and those wins helped me. The presidents, the ADs, my assistant coaches and over six million fans that watched us in those 354 wins. That's who I want to thank."

"I'd turn it for a banner," Izzo added.

Izzo, who has been to eight Final Fours and was the last men's basketball coach to win a national title—with MSU in 2000—improved his career record to 727-300. He has a chance to secure a conference championship banner and has a team capable of making a Tournament run, so maybe he'll get a chance to make that trade in a matter of months.

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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.

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