Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans didn’t just win on Tuesday night - they made a statement. In front of a packed Breslin Center and newly hired football coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Spartans rolled past a surging Iowa team, 71-52. It was a performance that combined grit, growth, and a glimpse of what this team could become when it puts all the pieces together.
This wasn’t supposed to be a walkover. Iowa came in with momentum under first-year head coach Ben McCollum, and early on, it looked like the Hawkeyes might keep that train rolling. Michigan State came out flat, and Izzo didn’t sugarcoat it afterward: “They beat the hell out of us the first 6 or 7 minutes,” he said.
But from there, the Spartans responded the way Izzo-coached teams tend to - with toughness, discipline, and a little fire.
“We bounced back, got a little tougher,” Izzo said. “We said free throws are going to be important. That said, we still turned it over too much, we still got issues at the two.”
Even in a 19-point win, Izzo is never one to gloss over the flaws. Turnovers and guard play remain areas of concern.
But the upside? It’s real - and it’s starting to show.
One of the biggest positives Izzo pointed to was the team’s chemistry. “What has impressed me the most is the connectivity of this team.
It is not phony,” he said. “Carson Cooper - what he has done for Jesse and Cam.
Jeremy is leading better. Good teams need a great leader.”
Jeremy Fears Jr. didn’t have his best shooting night, but Izzo was quick to highlight his growth as a floor general. “All-in-all, the pregame, the huddles when we were down, he was really good,” Izzo said.
“When Draymond [Green] was here, he talked the entire huddle. Jeremy is starting to talk in the huddle.
I have realized if I let guys like Draymond and Jeremy talk in the huddle, it's an easier job for me.”
That’s high praise - and a clear signal that Fears is earning Izzo’s trust in the moments that matter most.
There were other bright spots, too. Jordan Scott knocked down a three, and the bench reaction said a lot.
“Our guys were excited for him,” Izzo said. “He's really a good shooter.
He reminds me of Steve Smith. Maybe his bulk isn't there, but his heart is.”
The Spartans also showed a physical edge on the glass, something Izzo attributed to Iowa’s slower pace and their tendency to send players back on defense rather than crash the boards. “That is why we did a better job rebounding the ball,” he explained.
Still, Izzo knows there’s work to be done - especially on the perimeter. “I think we need a little more consistency shooting on the perimeter, and even defensively,” he said.
“I am not satisfied with the defense of our two guards. I am telling you, it will get cranked up.
If it gets better, we will be a real real good team.”
One player who continues to carve out a role is Jaxon Kohler. He’s not the most athletic big man, but Izzo loves his instincts.
“For a guy who is not the greatest athlete in the world, [he] gets a lot done,” Izzo said. “He has a nose for the ball, he is hungry.
I am still working on him getting a little more assists. Average a double-double in the Big Ten - that is a huge feat.”
With December heating up and conference play looming, Izzo is keeping perspective. “Everybody has so many new players, and we don't,” he said.
“A lot of the teams have new players. Arkansas, UNC - they are going to get better.
We are going to get better too. I think, this is a product.
Middle of December, we will see who's really good, who's good, who's not so.”
Off the court, the night had a celebratory feel with Pat Fitzgerald in the building, fresh off being named the new head coach of the football program. Izzo made sure to acknowledge the moment - and the challenge ahead.
“Our football coach is on board and got to be here with our fans; hopefully, things keep getting better,” he said. Then, pointing around the MSU athletic facilities, he added: “The place up there [Breslin Center] wins us some games.
The place over there [Munn Ice Arena] wins us games. The place over there [Spartan Stadium] has not recently.
I am putting the challenge to turn Spartan Stadium rocking and rolling.”
Izzo also took a moment to reflect on the tough side of the coaching carousel, referencing the departure of former football coach Jonathan Smith. “It has been tough.
I said it on Jonathan's behalf - it is hard to see a coach go down. Especially one that has character and class.”
And in classic Izzo fashion, even after a big win, he couldn’t help but poke fun at himself: “I appreciate my president and athletic director, I appreciate my new football coach. My damn day job got in the way of making it to the football press conference.”
That’s Izzo. Honest.
Competitive. Always coaching - and always thinking about what’s next.
The Spartans are far from a finished product. But if Tuesday night was any indication, they’re starting to find their identity. And come Big Ten season, that could make all the difference.