Similar Philosophies Build Respect in Looming MSU-Purdue Clash
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- These two programs feel like long-time frenemies now.
It's clear that Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and Purdue head coach Matt Painter have a lot of admiration for one another. Having as much staying power as both of them have had is admirable. Izzo is in his 31st year as head coach at MSU, and Painter is in year 21.
When No. 13 Michigan State (22-5 overall, 12-4 Big Ten) and No. 8 Purdue (22-5, 12-4) meet at Mackey Arena on Thursday night, it will also be the 36th time that Izzo and Painter will face off against each other. Painter holds a slim advantage in the series at 18-17.
"Hell, I recruited Matt [to Michigan State as a player]," Izzo said Tuesday. "Matt was here, and he flew from here, too. [Former Purdue assistant] Bruce Weber picked him up from here to Purdue. So, there's a lot [of respect] between them. It's been a good rivalry because we've both been good, and if they're both good, it's a true rivalry."
How the Programs Were Built
Both programs really do have some striking shorter-term and longer-term similarities. Izzo and Painter are both the successors to other long-time, legendary head coaches before them. Before Izzo, MSU had Jud Heathcote. Before Painter, Purdue had Gene Keady.
"The respect probably goes back to Jud and Gene," Izzo said. "I'll never forget the day that Clem Haskins [, who coached for Keady at Western Kentucky,] told me that he named his two ostriches on his farm Jud and Gene, and I guess that's a hell of privilege."
Izzo and Painter also have similar roster-building strategies. Both of them have a pretty clear preference to get high school talent and then develop it over the course of several, usually four, years. The transfer portal remains an option for MSU and the Boilermakers, but it seems to be considered a necessary evil for putting a team together these days, rather than the main way of doing things.
Purdue only has three players on its entire roster who have transferred from another school. One came from a Division III school and doesn't regularly play. Another came from North Florida and also doesn't really play. Oscar Cluff, a South Dakota State transfer, is the only transfer portal addition the Boilermakers have that truly contributes at 10.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
It's not often that Michigan State is the school in the matchup that more aggressively uses the portal. The four transfers the Spartans have on the roster isn't much, but it's still more than what Purdue's got. Florida Atlantic transfer Kaleb Glenn and Miami (FL) transfer Divine Ugochukwu are both out for the season, but both would be a part of the regular playing rotation if they were healthy.
"Not a lot of people what high school kids," MSU's Jeremy Fears Jr. said. "Not a lot of people and teams stick with their guys. You've got two great coaches, two great programs, and, I believe, two great ways of doing things. Coach Painter, he's stuck with a lot of his guys; I believe most of his guys are three-, four-year players... Just being able to go get young guys and build them up, build them up, it's college basketball a little bit [as it] should be."
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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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