MSU's Izzo Has More Milestones on the Horizon

No. 11 Michigan State earned a huge win over the Illinois Fighting Illini, clinching Spartans coach Tom Izzo the record for Big Ten conference wins. Izzo has broken many records over his 30-year tenure but still has more to chase.

Feb 15, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo broke former Indiana Hoosiers head coach Bob Knight's record for career Big Ten conference wins, earning win No. 354 over Illinois on Saturday.

Many were unsure if Izzo would have enough success this season to break the record. Last season, the Spartans only won 10 conference games. With the win over Illinois, the Spartans surpassed their conference win total with six games remaining on the schedule.

Izzo has accomplished a lot in his 30 seasons as the head coach for Michigan State. Winning the 2000 national championship, making eight Final Fours and being a 2016 inductee to the Naismith Hall of Fame. But, there are still many records out there for Izzo to chase.

Izzo is No. 23 all-time in coaching wins with 727. He won’t be able to reach the heights of the recent retirees, as former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski holds the record with 1,202 wins and former Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim had 1,116. 

However, Izzo has the opportunity to reach a few milestones in the next few years as he has hinted that he’s far from calling it quits.

Izzo is 32 wins behind E.A. Diddle, a former Western Kentucky head coach who spent 42 years coaching. If Izzo can pass Diddle, he will become a top-20 winningest head coach of all time.

The Spartans head coach currently holds the longest active streak for consecutive tournament appearances by a head coach and will most likely extend it to 27 straight appearances this March. In 2023, Izzo set the record at 25 straight tournament berths. 

If Izzo can make another Final Four run, he will join Hall of Fame head coach Roy Williams, who went to nine Final Fours while coaching at Kansas and North Carolina. Williams’ nine trips are the fourth most all-time, behind Krzyzewski, Dean Smith and John Wooden, who all surpassed double-digit Final Four appearances.

Even though Izzo took the record from Knight, he explained that he much rather have one of Knight’s three national championships. If Izzo was able to win another National Championship, 25 years after his first, he would join Kansas coach Bill Self, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino and UConn coach Dan Hurley as the only active coaches with multiple titles. 

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