Michigan State overcame an early 16-point deficit in a hostile environment on Saturday night, surging past Illinois 79-65 to secure Tom Izzo's 354th career Big Ten win. The victory broke a tie with Bobby Knight atop the all-time list, a truly impressive feat of prolonged winning and longevity. Izzo, who is in his 30th season leading the Spartans, joined Fox's Jim Jackson for an on-court interview after surpassing the mark.
"I just want to be thankful for the 148 players I coached," Izzo said. "Each one of them got a win and those wins helped me. The presidents, the ADs, my assistant coaches and over six million fans that watched us in those 354 wins. That's who I want to thank."
"I'd turn it for a banner," Izzo added.
“I’d turn it in for a banner.”
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) February 16, 2025
The MOST Big Ten wins in league history in men’s basketball:
1. Tom Izzo - 354 wins
2. Bob Knight - 353 wins
3. Gene Keady - 265 wins
Ever humble, Tom Izzo is the new all-time winningest head coach in Big Ten MBB history. pic.twitter.com/MWK4yS5ncX
Izzo, who has been to eight Final Fours and was the last men's basketball coach to win a national title—with MSU in 2000—improved his career record to 727-300. He has a chance to secure a conference championship banner and has a team capable of making a Tournament run, so maybe he'll get a chance to make that trade in a matter of months.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tom Izzo Had the Perfect Line After Setting Big Ten Wins Record.
