Tom Izzo’s Record-Breaking Quest Stalls with Latest Spartans Loss

East Lansing, MI — Tom Izzo‘s pursuit of breaking Bob Knight‘s Big Ten basketball wins record hit a bump on Tuesday night as the Michigan State Spartans lost to the unranked Indiana Hoosiers, 86-74.

This defeat leaves Izzo tied with Knight at 353 conference victories and places the Spartans at 19-5 overall, including a 10-3 record in the Big Ten. The Spartans, who were favored by 11.5 points, have now dropped three of their last four games, raising concerns as they head into the crucial part of the season.

“We had an opportunity for a special night,” Izzo said after the game. “I don’t think the players played very well and I didn’t think the coaches coached very well, so that’s a bad combination against the team that was desperate. I don’t want to take anything away from Indiana.”

Izzo’s squad is set to have another chance to surpass Knight’s long-standing record this Saturday. Just prior to the game, Izzo experienced a surprise visit from former NFL coach Steve Mariucci, who joined the Spartans’ bench. Mariucci and Izzo share a long history, having grown up together in Iron Mountain, Michigan, and played at Northern Michigan.

While Izzo focuses on his team’s upcoming games, Indiana is looking to build on their momentum. The Hoosiers ended a five-game losing streak with this victory, which was crucial for head coach Mike Woodson. Woodson, who played under Knight from 1976 to 1980, emphasized the need for his team to keep pushing forward.

“I can’t let them quit,” Woodson stated. “We’ve just got to keep working and keep pushing each other and see where it leads us. We’ve still got a lot of season left.”

Bob Knight, who passed away in 2023, is remembered for leading Indiana to three NCAA titles between 1971 and 2000. He served as a mentor to Izzo during Izzo’s inaugural season as Michigan State’s head coach in 1995. The significance of Knight’s legacy looms large over the Big Ten, adding to the pressure on coaches like Izzo and Woodson as they strive to uphold their programs’ traditions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.