Michigan State coach Tom Izzo delivers a strong message to Wisconsin Badgers fans

MADISON, Wis. - Tom Izzo has no problem being the leader of the Big Ten's bully pulpit. He knows his words carry weight, which comes from 31 seasons and 757 career victories at Michigan State.

He's spoken publicly about all the problems currently plaguing college basketball, like the transfer portal, NIL, and the latest gray area of signing players who are former NBA Draft picks.

So, in the wake of Michigan State being thoroughly manhandled by Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, Izzo didn't hesitate to shine the spotlight on the work Greg Gard has done with the Wisconsin program.

"I don't think he gets enough credit," Izzo said. "He lost a couple tough games early, but he's been as consistent, steady as anybody."

UW has won 10+ B1G games in 21 of the last 24 seasons, the only team to achieve that.

Another sensational Nick Boyd night extended that run to 22 out of 25 seasons, as the #Badgers delivered a third top-10 takedown by crushing Michigan State, 92-71.https://t.co/FjpNLx75HT
— Benjamin Worgull (@TheBadgerNation) February 14, 2026

Following Wisconsin's 92-71 victory over No.10 Michigan State Friday night, the Badgers (18-7, 10-3 Big Ten) have reached 10 conference wins for the 22nd time in the last 25 years, more than any Big Ten team.

Three of those victories have come against top-10 teams, as the Spartans join a list that includes No.2 Michigan and No.8 Illinois that have been vanquished by the Badgers in the past 34 days.
Wisconsin scored over 90 points in all three wins, a far cry from 25 years ago when the Spartans and Badgers played a Final Four game with 94 total points.

"He's got a hell of a player in (John) Blackwell and (Nolan) Winter," Izzo said. "Those guys are their mainstays. He's got a good point guard (Nick Boyd) that has done a great job for them, and that's changed, but those two guys have been as steady as a rock."

It wasn't that long ago that Gard's job security was under a microscope. The Badgers missed the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and were largely inconsistent in 2024, a year that ended with a blowout loss to 12th-seed James Madison.

Gard views Izzo as one of his coaching mentors. Both came into their head coaching roles the same way, with Izzo assisting for 12 years under the legendary Jud Heathcote before getting the head coaching promotion. Gard worked under Ryan for 23 years, starting at UW-Platteville, a brief stint in Milwaukee, and for 14 years with the Badgers.

Seeing a lot of himself in Gard is part of the reason Izzo has delivered unsolicited praise over the years on him, especially when he sees Gard facing a critical crossroad.

He admitted that Gard outcoached him when the fourth-ranked Spartans fell 77-76 in Madison in 2016 during the period when Gard was coaching with an interim tag. UW won 11 of its last 13 games to finish third in the league, earning Gard the full-time position.

He expressed appreciation for the program Gard was running - both publicly and privately - during Michigan State's eight-game winning streak in the series.

When the Badgers were going through some off-the-court turmoil in 2020, Izzo admitted he could take joy in his profession that Gard could bring the group together to knock off his 14th-ranked Spartans in a one-point game. It was a victory that was instrumental in UW winning a share of the Big Ten title a month later.

UW has won seven of the last 12 games against the Spartans since that 2020 triumph, including Friday’s game, which UW led by as many as 24 points in the second half.

"He's adjusted a little bit, tried some different things, and he did a hell of a job tonight," Izzo said. "They outplayed us in every aspect of the game."

Wisconsin was a thorn in the side of Izzo under Ryan, who had a 16-12 record against Michigan State that included several meetings with conference championships on the line. Throughout that stretch, Gard was the coach responsible for putting together the scouting report and game plan.

Wisconsin is 127-81 (.611) in Big Ten play since Gard arrived, trailing only Purdue and Michigan State for the most league wins and best win percentage in Big Ten play during that span.

Not surprisingly, all three programs have had no coaching chances since Gard arrived.

"That's why you see so much respect with the staffs on all of them because I think we all are trying to do it in these crazy times," Izzo said. "I think Greg has done a great job here."

That level of mutual respect has grown over the years to the point where Izzo made time to fly to Madison and serve as the guest speaker for the 8th Annual Garding Against Cancer event in May 2025.

The sold-out event, which benefits the UW Carbone Cancer Center, raised $750,000.

"I was so impressed by the people and everything," Gard said. "Appreciate him. Sometimes I in the league get more credit. Sometimes (Purdue coach Matt Painter) does. I don't think Greg gets enough credit for what he's done. My word to you guys who are Badgers is appreciate him."

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