Dave Portnoy Clowns Michigan State's Tom Izzo For 'no leadership and accountability'

Last Friday, Michigan basketball secured a big rivalry win at the Breslin Center and topped the Michigan State Spartans by a score of 83-71 to stay atop the Big Ten standings.

However, conversation around the game spilled into Monday when Michigan head coach Dusty May was asked about the play during the game when Michigan State guard tripped Yaxel Lendeborg after making a pass out to Jaxon Kohler for a corner three.

May didn't back down from the question when a reporter initially stated it "appeared" like Fears tripped the Wolverine star forward.

"Appeared? It wasn't an illusion, right?" May said. "I think there are several plays that are very dangerous, and I am incredibly proud of our guys for the responses they had to some of those situations. Incredibly proud for their self-control, their restraint, and their impulse control. I'll leave it at that.

"The film's there," May continued when speaking about MSU's dangerous plays. 40 minutes of it. It's not hard to find."

I defended Fears quite a bit yesterday

But the LJ sequence, F1 on Yaxel, missed this clip from last night.. he’s too important to MSU to risk getting ejected for nonsense pic.twitter.com/HE1g487VjI
— ᗩᑎT ᗯᖇIGᕼT (@itsAntWright) January 31, 2026

In addition to that play, Fears also received a flagrant one foul on a play when he pushed Lendeborg in the back to stop a fast break dunk.

On the Michigan State side of things, head coach Tom Izzo told reporters he saw things happen on both sides in the game, but that he would be happy to discuss things with May if anything dirty went on from his players.

"Tell him to call me and I would be more than happy to address it," Izzo said. "There were some things Jeremy did. I addressed him on it. He and their point guard were going at it pretty good. That’s what happens in games like that.”

The spar from the two head coaches drew some intense reaction on social media, including from the always vocal Michigan alum and Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, who called Izzo and the Spartans out after the matter.

Portnoy's reaction

While sharing a video of Izzo's presser from Monday, Portnoy called out the Spartan head coach for running a "dirty" program and blamed Izzo for taking no accountability in the situation.

"Once again Tom Izzo shows no leadership and accountability.," Portnoy wrote on X. "The dirty program starts at the top. No wonder parents want to send their kids to Michigan nowadays. Lead from the front! The Michigan Man Way!"

Once again Tom Izzo shows no leadership and accountability. The dirty program starts at the top. No wonder parents want to send their kids to Michigan nowadays. Lead from the front! The Michigan Man Way! pic.twitter.com/4BdxstmYFO
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) February 2, 2026

The temperature of the basketball rivalry is clearly heating up, which will make for an interesting rematch on March 8 when the Wolverines host the Spartans in Ann Arbor for the final game of the regular season.

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo, left, and Michigan's head coach Dusty May meet before the game on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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