ATLANTA — In the immediate aftermath of a gritty, come-from-behind victory over Ole Miss in the Sweet 16 on Friday, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo rebuked any idea of a grand celebration.
“The [Elite Eights] are great too, but go back to my statement from the beginning: We don’t put up any banners for Elite Eights,” Izzo said after the Spartans’ 73-70 win. “We put up banners for Big Ten championships and Final Fours and national championships.”
But later, as he spoke to reporters during the postgame scrum, he acknowledged that his 11th trip to the Elite Eight, 26 years after his first appearance in 1999, is meaningful. As he looked down briefly, Izzo seemed caught up in the moment as he thought about some of the great coaches who never reached the same heights he has in his career.
“Sometimes, it’s surreal,” Izzo said. “I mean, I think of some of the guys that I’ve idolized in coaching that have never been to one [Elite Eight]. I’m just so pleased. But I’m so humbled by it because there were so many good players. And my staff did a hell of a job. They all deserve [praise] today because they did a hell of a job, too.”
At 70 years old, Izzo has stayed in a game that’s in the midst of its most transformational chapter. Name, image and likeness rules and the transfer portal have prompted many coaches in his age group to leave college basketball. Others weren’t given a choice. But Izzo remained and rejected retirement talk in pursuit of a second national championship.
With one more game standing between his goal and a trip to San Antonio, however, Izzo seemed to grapple with his desire to help his team stay focused while also trying to bask in a rare achievement.
“Believe it or not, we’ve got to play better, but I’m so proud of them,” he said. “I mean, we’re not a team that can just go out and play and win and boy, we did a hell of a job.”
Nothing about Friday’s victory over Ole Miss was TV-friendly. The Rebels had a double-digit lead in the first half as Sean Pedulla hit big shots over the outstretched arms of Spartans defenders. Izzo’s team also committed careless turnovers. And the Spartans were also dominated in the paint early in the game, which is a sin for any Michigan State team.
But then, the Spartans showed the heart that turned an average offensive team into a Big Ten champion and now, an Elite Eight squad after a second-half surge and a series of clutch buckets down the stretch turned the tide. Izzo repeated Friday that this isn’t the most talented team he has coached in East Lansing. He also stopped short of comparing this group with some of the most unified crews he has had in his tenure. But the “togetherness” of a blue-collar squad that has become one of America’s top defensive teams and also found ways to make the right plays in key games, as the Spartans did against Ole Miss, has created an endearing relationship between Izzo and this team.
“Man, we just love [Izzo].” Tre Holloman said. “We love his competitiveness. He’s a winner, so we’re just backing him. We are blessed to be here, but we belong here for sure.”
Though this group has clearly impressed him, Friday’s battle was proof of this team’s ongoing challenges and flaws, he said. The Spartans continue to evolve.
“We’re still growing. We’re still learning,” Izzo said. “And that’s what we’re excited about, too. I feel like we can still get better and I think they know that we need to get better.”
But Izzo left out one other note, one that has been noticeable in the way he has talked about this group that has just one true NBA prospect (Jase Richardson). Izzo, it seems, is having more fun than he has had in years.
“We’ve had the most strength in numbers as we’ve ever had here,” he said. “And to get to an Elite Eight with a team that we all know isn’t quite as talented as I’ve had, it shows you how important connectivity is. It shows you how important togetherness is. It shows you how important pulling from one another is, and that’s what makes this so cool.”
