Feb 15, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

MSU's Izzo Reflects on Breaking Big Ten Record Five Months Later

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 11:22 PM ET

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has been the Big Ten's winningest head coach for almost half a year now, if you can believe it.

On Feb. 15, Izzo passed the late, great Bob Knight for all-time Big Ten wins by a head coach, and he did so in dramatic fashion as his team put together an epic comeback against Illinois on the road.

Big Ten Today featured an interview with Izzo on Wednesday, and the legendary coach reflected on the achievement, now five months later.

"I got a great letter from Pat Knight, Bob's son, and there's some guys down there -- radio guys and that -- budded up," Izzo said. "Bob Knight, my first Big Ten win was against Indiana. And they were good, and we weren't. And so, it's kind of apropos that it, I guess, happened at the end.

"But I had great respect for Bob, and I do feel that the players do play the game, but I guess I was part of it, and a good part of it. And it was something that I'll be very proud of because it means you not only lasted a long time, but maybe more important, I think, played at a pretty good level most of your career so far."

Izzo and the Spartans had been coming off a tough loss to, ironically, Indiana, going into that Illinois game in February and had lost three of their last four. Their backs were against the wall, and they needed to make a statement against a Fighting Illini team that was hungry for revenge after narrowly falling to Michigan State in East Lansing in January.

And the Spartans answered after trailing by as many as 16 in the first half. A neck-and-neck battle in the second half would turn into absolute dominance by the Spartans, who closed the game on a 15-0 run.

That would be Michigan State's first of seven straight wins to close out the regular season.

Izzo added to his long list of career achievements and broke a record that may never be broken again.

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