MSU's Izzo Hungrier to Go Further Than Last Year

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Aug 23, 2025 11:56 PM ET

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo fulfilled his mission of making another tournament run last season as he took his team to its first Elite Eight since 2019.

"I'm getting back to a deep run in this tournament, or I'm going to die trying," Izzo had said following his team's Round of 32 loss to North Carolina in 2024. He did just that, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want more.

CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein referenced the quote when he spoke to Izzo in their recent interview on "Inside College Basketball Now."

Rothstein asked Izzo if he's hungrier now to go beyond last season's run.

"I really am, Jon, I really am. And I'm lucky I backed my words there because we did go farther, but I think we're just trying to do it a little different, that's all. And I feel good about that. I still think in sports, especially team sports, camaraderie, culture, all those things matter, and we're trying to thrive off that, which is what I've done since the day I started here."

This season's Michigan State team

The Spartans defied expectations and won the Big Ten by three games in the first year of its 18-team expansion. While Michigan State did lose a hefty load of talent from that team, including Jase Richardson, a first-round pick in this year's NBA Draft, it returns some solid veterans who were vital contributors to that team and also has some quality newcomers and young players expected to see impactful minutes.

While it may be as talented a team as last year's, there were questions surrounding the program at this time a year ago as well. You can never count out a Tom Izzo-led team.

Izzo is heading into his 31st year as head coach and still just has one national title, which approaches its 26th anniversary. While his legacy is already cemented, one more would significantly raise it, especially considering the extent to which the landscape has changed since that first national championship.

Last season had fans hopeful again, and because of that, the standard will still be high this season. Perhaps the Spartans will surprise again.

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