Michigan State's Tom Izzo ties Bob Knight's record, draws lofty praise from Indiana-native Matt Painter
Tom Izzo insists that the most important thing about Michigan State’s 68-65 win over Purdue on Saturday was that it ended the Spartans’ losing streak – and he’s right.
After residing near the top of the Big Ten standings throughout December and January, Michigan State fell on hard times in February, going 2-5 in the month before the upset of the Boilermakers.
However, Saturday’s win at the Breslin Center won’t be remembered as the game in which the Spartans ended a three-game losing streak. It will be remembered as the game in which Izzo tied legendary Indiana head coach Bob Knight for the most wins ever at a Big Ten program.
The win over Purdue was No. 662 in Izzo’s head coaching career, which began in 1995. He has compiled an overall record of 662-263 in East Lansing. In 29 years in Bloomington, Knight finished with a record of 662-239.
Izzo was emotional following Saturday’s victory, but said it was not at all related to the accomplished milestone.
“It was just enjoying our crowd, enjoying our players getting a chance to celebrate a little bit,” Izzo said. “It had nothing to do with Bob, and I don’t say that with humility, I say it – we needed to win a game. And we needed to win a game the way we won the game. We had our moments of up and down a little bit, had our moments when we could have crashed like we have in a couple games, and I thought we executed pretty well in those situations and found a way to win.”
While Izzo wouldn’t wax poetic about his career accomplishment, Purdue head coach Matt Painter, an Indiana native, had plenty to say about Izzo’s feat.
“That’s a big deal,” Painter said. “When we were growing up – I grew up, obviously, in Indiana – [Knight] was it. He was the best coach in America. He was the best clinician. Him, Hubie Brown, Larry Brown – those guys were just spectacular. The time they spent, the going to the clinics and things of that nature. To pass an icon like that is huge – [Izzo is] and icon.”
In the modern era of sports – both professional and collegiate – player and coach movement is at an all-time high. In the professional realms, free agency is often a bigger story for some franchises than their actual seasons. At the college level, the transfer portal has made it easier than ever for players to find new homes.
Coaches have always been allowed “freedom of movement” within their sports – taking promotions, leaving for more prestigious jobs, getting fresh starts.
With the modern landscape of athletics in mind, Painter is all the more impressed with Izzo’s commitment to his program in East Lansing.
“It’s staying at one place too, which I’m fond of,” Painter said. “I just like the fact that he could have went a lot of places and he didn’t, and the Big Ten was able to get that reward. Anytime you can have consistency – it’s a hard thing to do, especially in 14 schools. Like, how can you be consistent and be great when you’re upsetting the apple cart after three seasons if somebody doesn’t win enough games?”
Izzo has had opportunities to jump to the NBA in his career, but he chose to stay at Michigan State. That’s a two-way street however – one the Painter noted.
“I think a lot of people around here forget his first two seasons,” Purdue’s head coach said. “But [Michigan State] stuck by him and, obviously, he took off from there – won a Big Ten championship, won 10 since. He’s been great – went to eight Final Fours. So, it speaks for itself.”
Izzo has become symbolic with Michigan State. The university has had six different head football coaches since Izzo took over the basketball program in 1995.
Painter said that Izzo is looked at by today’s youth in the same manner in which his generation looked at Knight and legendary Purdue head coach Gene Keady.
“To be able to pass him, it’s just one of those things,” Painter said. “I grew up in Indiana, and I thought Gene Keady and Bob Knight would be the coaches at Indiana and Purdue forever. Like, you didn’t think anything different. It’s like the little kid in you. But, that’s kind of the way people in Michigan think. You can take a 26-year old man in the state of Michigan and the only thing he knows is that Tom Izzo’s been at Michigan State. That’s pretty cool.”
Izzo is now one victory away from becoming the Big Ten’s all-time leader in wins. Fittingly enough, the Spartans’ next game will come against archrival Michigan.
Beating the Wolverines to claim the record? Now THAT would be poetic.
