Why MSU's Izzo says he 'Loved' Nebraska's Court Storm Friday
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Fans do not storm the playing surface after beating a team that they think is bad.
After ninth-ranked Michigan State fell at No. 13 Nebraska on Friday night, 58-56, Cornhuskers fans took to the court to celebrate. MSU head coach Tom Izzo had absolutely no problem with it.
Izzo's Thoughts
"I absolutely loved it," he said after the game. "Absolutely loved it."
Izzo was asked if he was worried about anyone's safety with all the fans running on. He simply replied, "I was hoping I got stomped on, to be very honest with you."
This is certainly not the first time Michigan State has seen opposing fans storm the court after beating it, and it certainly will not be the last. It's the most annoying sign of respect a team can receive, as it is a telltale sign that the other fanbase considers it to be a huge win that they perhaps may not have expected.
Everyone has opinions on when court storms are acceptable and when they are not. One might say that Nebraska fans should not have done so on Friday night, since it is ranked 13th nationally and was a slight favorite. But this is the best start in the Cornhuskers' history. The program has NEVER won an NCAA Tournament game, for crying out loud.
"[Court storms] shouldn't happen much at our place, and it shouldn't," Izzo also said. "But it should happen here [in Nebraska]. This is kind of a new experience. That's the beauty of what you do as you build a program.
"I wouldn't want those people to react any --- they were lining up back there, I'm just thinking to myself, 'Go for it.' I thought it was great. I think it's somehow a backhanded compliment to us. If we were a nobody, they wouldn't have stormed the court. Our guys have gotta realize that they play at a program that you're somebody --- you better answer the meat and potatoes of what somebody means. A somebody means toughness, and in winning time, making plays. We've gotta do a better job of that."
Both of Michigan State's losses have been due to some failures during "winning time" against prime opponents. The Spartans didn't do enough at the end during their first loss against Duke, and they did not do enough on Friday in Lincoln. MSU was actually held without a made field goal for the final 4:41 of the game, missing its final six attempts.
The Spartans will soon have a chance to get back on track. They host 24th-ranked USC on Monday in East Lansing (8:30 p.m. ET, FS1), though the Trojans will likely become unranked that afternoon after their 30-point drubbing at No. 2 Michigan on Friday night.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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