WASHINGTON (AP) — It was well past midnight on Saturday morning after Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans came up short in the Sweet 16, when the 71-year-old coach was asked where he sees himself in five years.
“Trying to win a national championship — plain and simple,” he said.
Izzo has guided Michigan State to eight Final Fours and captured the Big Ten’s most recent national title in men’s basketball in 2000. He wouldn’t take much heat if he decided he wanted to get out of the game like so many of his peers have — in a new day and age dominated by the transfer portal and name, image and likeness.
Instead, it sounds like he’s not even considering such a scenario.
“We all talk about retirement,” Izzo said after the Spartans lost 67-63 to UConn. “Why? What the hell am I going to do? The minute I don’t feel good, the minute I don’t feel like I’m giving my AD or president or school every ounce of energy I have every day or that energy drops, you don’t have to worry about it. I don’t steal money. I won’t steal anybody’s time.”
Izzo hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2019 — the longest drought of his career. But he immediately called the Spartans’ future bright after Jeremy Fears and Coen Carr — both with eligibility remaining — left the postgame podium after a tough loss in which Michigan State trailed 25-6 before coming back to take the lead in the second half.
“Tomorrow I’m going to the portal,” Izzo said.
“The only difference is the portal at Michigan State is different than the portal at most places. I’m going right to my frickin’ locker room, and I’m going to talk to each and every player right there. I’m going to make some decisions about what we’re going to do that I feel very comfortable with.”
Izzo expects to return seven to eight players to go along with what he described as a strong freshman class.
“I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I’m just not lucky enough to be playing on Sunday,” Izzo said. “I’ll get to play on another Sunday. Hang around.”
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness