Spartans Have Opportunity to Add to Izzo's Conference Tournament Success

The Michigan State Spartans won the Big Ten title outright with their winning streak down the stretch. Can Tom Izzo lead them to another Big Ten tournament victory?

Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans On SI

The Michigan State Spartans capped off a fantastic regular season by earning themselves the Big Ten title. With a 22-9 record, the Spartans brought everything they had -- blood, sweat and tears -- to get back to the top of the Big Ten mountaintop.

Now that the regular season has come to a close, MSU will have to shift its focus to the Big Ten Tournament that is set to take place between March 12-16. Lucky for the Spartans, they have the winningest head coach in Big Ten Tournament history in Coach Tom Izzo.

Over the years, MSU has captured 17 Big Ten titles, 11 of which belong to Izzo. When it comes to the Big Ten Tournament, however, there is no more fun and games for Izzo's Spartans.

Izzo and MSU have secured six Big Ten Tournament titles. The Spartans will look to push that number to seven, and their first since winning it in 2019.

Fans have compared this current Spartan squad to that 2019 team, and deservingly so. This MSU team gained experience from this past season to land it where it is now.

Throughout the season, the Spartans remained steady, defeating opponents far and wide to climb to the top.

They swept their in-state rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, padding their success in a rivalry that has spanned over decades. MSU showed that it was the better program by knocking off the Wolverines in both matchups.

This year represents an opportunity for each current Spartan to win a Big Ten Tournament for the very first time.

Senior guard Jaden Akins had solidified himself as the face of this team early on before freshman guard Jase Richardson really turned on the jets and elevated himself as one of the top freshmen in the conference.

Regardless of how well those two Spartans performed during the regular season, it will take a whole team effort -- as it has all year -- for Izzo's group to get to hoist the Big Ten Tournament trophy and put the cherry on top of what has been an incredible run before the Spartans head into The Big Dance.

Michigan State will await its next opponent in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Its game is set for noon on Friday.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.