Being in contention, that’s what matters to Tom Izzo.
The Michigan State coach wants his team playing big games down the stretch, because that means the Spartans are in the mix for championships, whether it’s the Big Ten title, the conference tournament championship or another run to the Final Four.
That’s been the norm for the bulk of Izzo’s 26 years at the helm for the Spartans. They’ve won 10 regular-season championships in the Big Ten, including at least a share in each of the last three seasons. They’ve also won six conference tournament titles, been to eight Final Fours and won a national championship.