Tom Izzo – Syndication Server

Tom Izzo teases match-up between Michigan State and Duke in 2025 in the Breslin Center

Tom Izzo teased a match-up with Duke in the Breslin Center on his weekly radio show

Every year, we get the pleasure of seeing Michigan State basketball play against some of the top programs in the country when they face one of Kentucky, Duke, or Kansas in the annual Champions Classic. On his weekly radio show, Tom Izzo talked about his desire to bring more of those marquee match-ups to the Breslin Center, starting with a potential home-and-home series with Duke that would start with a game in East Lansing in 2025.

Izzo teased the news on his weekly radio show, which you can watch here.

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Tom Izzo lists who he would like to replace him at Michigan State when he retires

Tom Izzo named a few people who he would like to replace him at Michigan State when he eventually retires

This offseason, fresh off a hip replacement surgery, Michigan State basketball head coach Tom Izzo seemed like he found the fountain of youth and made a point to tell the media multiple times that he has no plans to retire anytime soon.

“I got no interest in getting out of it,” Izzo said Monday on the College Hoops Today Podcast, per Fan Duel’s Jon Rothstein. “When I’m done, I’m going to talk to Mateen Cleaves, Steve Smith, Magic Johnson, and Draymond Green. I don’t want to lose the culture that I’ve seen for 40 years as a GA on up. I think it’s being lost somewhat now in college sports. Not just for me, but the players who come back and are a part of things. At least here at Michigan State, it’s important. It may not be that way at other places.”

It would be a little hard to imagine 65-year old billionaire Magic Johnson taking over that job, and it’s also worth noting that Draymond Green said back in July that he doesn’t have any interest in coaching Michigan State. Then again, he could also just be referring to those four as people he will consult with after he retires and not who he actually thinks will directly replace him.

Tom Izzo names Michigan State basketball captains for 2024-25 season

Tom Izzo has announced his captains for the 2024-25 season

After Michigan State basketball’s blowout win of Niagara on Thursday night, Tom Izzo made an announcement about his team regarding the captains for the 2024-25 season.

Izzo has selected two of his guards, senior Jaden Akins and junior Tre Holloman, to be the captains of his team this year. In addition, there will be a third captain, but that will change on a weekly basis.

Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press reported it first.

Watch Tom Izzo recap, analyze Spartans’ season-opening win vs. Monmouth

Watch MSU head coach Tom Izzo recap the Spartans’ season-opening win over Monmouth on Monday

Michigan State basketball opened up the regular season with a convincing victory over Monmouth on Monday.

The Spartans led the entire way in route to the 81-57 victory over the Hawks. Monmouth cut the Spartans’ lead to six points early into the second half, but from that point Michigan State built a lead that was comfortable until the final whistle.

Michigan State was led in scoring by guard Jaden Akins, who had a career-high tying 23 points night. Freshman Jase Richardson also reached double-digits with 10 points in his first career game as a Spartan.

Hear what head coach Tom Izzo had to say about the Spartans’ victory over the Hawks in the video below:

Video is courtesy of SpartanMag

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Tom Izzo comments on Virginia head coach Tony Bennett’s retirement

Last week, college basketball lost one of the bigger coaching names in the country when Virginia’s Tony Bennett retired at the age of 55, citing changes to the college sports landscape as his primary reason.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo has known Bennett for more than 40 years, and they are good friends. Izzo, who brought up the topic of Bennett unprompted, said he spoke with Bennett this week. Izzo went on to talk about Bennett’s decision, calling it a shame.

‘It’s been a good week, other than losing Tony Bennett, I thought that was a shame, personally, but that’s the way it goes I guess right now… I’ve known Tony since he was probably 8-10 years old, I used to work at his dad’s camps when he was at Steven’s Point and I was in college…

I keep telling you guys, if you write this, if you watch his press conference or looked at it, you should never have to ask me or any other coach a question on whether things are right, wrong, or indifferent, you should be able to figure it out yourself. But that to me was one of the sadder days, you know it bothered me when Jay Wright did it … or Roy, of course Nick Saban … but this one, you know, the guy’s 55 years old, he’s just coming off a national championship a few years ago. One of the great guys in our profession. Good person, good coach, good guy, and the way he said it I thought was very well said.

Same thing I feel: everyone should get paid some … but what we got right now is the wild wild west and it’s out of control, and I just hate to lose Tony Bennett, I really do, it bothers me a lot.’

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Tom Izzo identifies the player that has been most consistent for Michigan State basketball this summer

Tom Izzo said this player has been his most consistent over the summer

In his weekly press conference on Thursday, Tom Izzo identified one player that, according to Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, he said has been his ‘most consistent, most efficient’ player over the summer.

That player is Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler.

Fidler was brought in for his efficient offense, something this team has been missing these last few years on the wing, so it’s a great sign that Fidler has stood out to his coach this summer.

Tom Izzo compares two MSU basketball freshmen to two Michigan State legends

Michigan State basketball has a few extremely talented freshmen on the team this season, and two of them, Jase Richardson and Kur Teng, play the guard position, and Tom Izzo had some lofty comparisons to two MSU legends for them on Thursday in his weekly press conference.

For Jase Richardson, Izzo compared him to Sam Vincent. Kur Teng got a comparison to Shawn Respert. Those are two of the better guards in Michigan State history, so quite a comparison and high praise for them.

Chris Solari posted the original quote on his X.com account here.

Tom Izzo gives high praise to Michigan State basketball freshman Jase Richardson

Tom Izzo gave a huge compliment to freshman Jase Richardson

Michigan State basketball has a huge legacy player joining the program this fall in former 4-star combo guard Jase Richardson. While Tom Izzo has been careful not to spend too much time comparing Jase to his father, MSU legend Jason Richardson, he did use that comparison to give Jase a huge compliment on Thursday.

Here is what he said:

‘He might even be ahead of where his dad was, which was pretty exciting considering how he ended up.’

He did note that Jase needs to get stronger and they are still figuring out his best position.

You can watch the full clip here.

Tom Izzo, Xavier Booker, and Jase Richardson address media after MSU vs. Northern Michigan game

Tom Izzo, Xavier Booker, and Jase Richardson addressed the media after the MSU vs. Northern Michigan preseason game

Michigan State basketball won a basketball game yesterday. The Spartans beat a scrappy Northern Michigan team 70-53 in Tom Izzo’s big return game in the Superior Dome in what was an amazing college basketball atmosphere for a preseason game.

After the game, we got to hear from Izzo, but we also heard from star sophomore Xavier Booker, and, interestingly, incoming freshman Jase Richardson. Booker and Richardson talked about their experience touring their coach’s old stomping grounds, how they are feeling heading into the season, and more.

You can watch it below:

Watch Tom Izzo address the crowd after MSU basketball vs. Northern Michigan game

Michigan State basketball was in the Upper Peninsula yesterday for a preseason exhibition game against Tom Izzo’s alma mater, Northern Michigan. The Spartans won the game, but it was bigger than just another preseason basketball game, as Izzo also had his jersey retired by Northern Michigan.

After the game, Izzo addressed both teams and the crowd in the Superior Dome with a heartfelt message about supporting each other and supporting the team.

You can watch it below: