MSU's Tom Izzo Wants 'Memory-Makers' at This Point in His Career
The reality is, Michigan State fans don't know how much longer they have left with Tom Izzo leading their men's basketball program.
And he might not have a timetable either.
What Izzo does know, though, is he wants to make the most of his final years at the helm.
"I think the one thing that's been really important for me my whole career is to do things where there's memory-makers," Izzo told reporters on Tuesday.
Whether it's the team's trip to Spain or taking the squad to Comerica Park for Game 3 of the American League Divisional Series between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians, Izzo has already put together those sought-after "memory-makers" before his 30th season as Michigan State's head coach even kicks off.
On Sunday, he will have another one. This weekend, Izzo is taking his team up to his old stomping grounds, Northern Michigan University, where he played collegiately. The Spartans will face Northern Michigan in their first of three exhibition games this year.
"I'm fired up to bring my team up there," Izzo said. "I'm fired up to see the people. I'm fired up to be able to do something for Northern, I'm fired up for my guys, because I think they'll have a better idea -- I always went to Flint. I always went to Detroit. I always went to Saginaw. I see where those guys were from. They never go where I'm from. And now, they're going get a chance, and maybe that helps them understand me a little bit better. And so, I'm excited about that, but I'm really excited that a lot of people from down here are going up. And I think Friday and Saturday night, I am going up there for two days. And we just decided we're going to, as I said, make it a little bit historic as far as taking them to places maybe they've never been or never could be."
For Izzo, it will be a homecoming, a trip that he's not only doing for his team and himself, but also for Northern Michigan.
"As a Division II athlete and making my first start -- against Michigan State -- in my entire career, that hits home a little bit too," Izzo said. "It's going to be the Super Bowl for them. This is their chance. They don't get to do this, and not many people give them a chance, especially at home. And so yeah, this is my way of giving back to them."
Sunday's game tips off at 1 p.m. at the Superior Dome.
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