Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has never been one to hold back - not with referees, not with his players, and apparently, not even when it comes to his 99-year-old mother.
In a moment that quickly went viral, Izzo was caught on camera during Michigan State’s Jan. 20 win at Oregon, turning to sophomore guard Kur Teng in the huddle and firing off a line that instantly entered the college basketball quote hall of fame: “Kur, you can’t guard my mother.”
That jab lit a spark far beyond the huddle. After the game, Izzo doubled down with a grin, telling reporters that his mother, Dorothy Izzo, “doesn’t have game, and [Teng] still couldn’t guard her.” From there, the internet took over - and ran with it.
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood even jumped in on the fun, joking that his own player, Ben Humrichous, who’s made major strides defensively this season, “probably would have given up 20 to Izzo’s mom last year.” Meanwhile, fans on social media started generating AI-enhanced images of Dorothy Izzo absolutely cooking Teng on the hardwood - posting up, crossing over, dunking, and fist-pumping while Teng lay face-down on the floor.
The Spartans’ student manager collected those images and turned them into a full-on poster. Izzo, never one to miss a chance to embrace the moment, had it sent to his mother’s retirement home in Appleton, Wisconsin.
“Grandma got some new wall art in the retirement home,” Izzo’s son, Steven, posted on Instagram, showing Dorothy posing proudly next to the larger-than-life poster. “Even at 99, she’s a bucket.”
The images are as wild as they are hilarious - Dorothy Izzo in full basketball mode, skying for dunks, draining jumpers over a helpless Teng, and celebrating like a March Madness hero. And Tom Izzo? He’s loving every second of it.
“It’s awesome, isn’t it?” he said Wednesday, while previewing the No.
10 Spartans’ upcoming matchup at Wisconsin. “Kur’s been great about it; it’s one of those things you can have fun with in this job.”
Izzo made it clear that the comment - and the ensuing viral moment - was all in good fun. “It’s not insulting, you know why?
Because you all have been at practice, and that’s one of the cleaner things you can say about somebody,” he said. “Every coach in the country has one of those.
‘You’re weaker than my mom.’ ‘You’re weaker than my 1-year-old child.’
It’s just our way of trying to give motivation to somebody.”
And to Teng’s credit, he hasn’t just taken the joke in stride - he’s responded with poise and production. The sophomore guard came off the bench Saturday and delivered the biggest shot of his young career: a go-ahead three-pointer with 8.6 seconds left in regulation, helping Michigan State pull out an eventual overtime win over Illinois.
That clutch moment didn’t go unnoticed by Izzo, who was quick to give credit - and even offer a bit of a truce.
“I’ve got to call her and say, ‘Mom, Kur’s shooting it better, maybe you couldn’t guard him today,’” he said with a smile.
In a season where every win matters and pressure runs high, this was one of those moments that reminded everyone why college basketball is so much fun - a little trash talk, a lot of heart, and a 99-year-old grandma who’s now a certified internet legend.