MSU's (13)ANTONIO SMITH and Coach TOM IZZO celebrate with the cut net after their their 73-66 win over Kentucky during their NCAA Midwest Regional Final game Sunday Mar 21, 1999 at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis, MO. MSU won the right to face Duke in the Final Four.(PHOTO BY KIRTHMON F. DOZIER/DETROIT FREE PRESS) Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

MSU's Izzo the No. 1 Tournament Coach in Past 25 Years

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 7:05 PM ET

There is no denying that Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo is one of, if not the greatest, coach in college basketball. But when looking strictly at the March Madness, NCAA Tournament, Izzo statistically takes the cake as the No. 1 coach since the year 2000, when he won the national title.

According to BartTorvik.com, Izzo is pound-for-pound the very best coach in the country when it comes to success in the NCAA Tournament from the years 2000-2025. In almost every stat, he rises above all the other greats that have left an impact over the past 25 years.

The data table takes into account multiple factors, and when all are combined, Izzo is in the top two, and he isn't two. He holds the highest rating of Performance Against Komputer Expectation (13.2) and Performance Against Seed Expectation (16.5).

MSU has made it to the second round or better 11 times when the team is given a No. 5 seed or worse in the tournament. This means that Izzo continues to overachieve from the expectations that are set by their seeding and what the computer data is predicting they produce.

Izzo has the third-most tournament wins (53) behind legendary coaches Roy Williams and Bill Self. He also has the second-most Sweet 16 appearances (14), second-most Elite Eights (10), and the most Final Fours since 2000 (seven). He truly is the most consistent and successful coach in 25 years.

Yes, people are going to argue against this statement due to Izzo having just one national title, but the consistent success for 27-straight seasons as a tournament team is what makes MSU a perennial powerhouse and household name in the realm of college basketball.

The legacy that Izzo has built since he took over the program in 1995 is one that is rivaled by only two coaches: Roy Williams with North Carolina and Mike Krzyzewski with Duke. Williams won three national titles and K won five.

No matter what seeding the Spartans receive at the end of this upcoming season, there will be no doubt that Izzo will lead his team to a deep, competitive run that continues to make this program one of the most successful and relentless to ever hit the college hardwood.

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