MSU's Tom Izzo Says Winning NCAA Tournament Games 'Means Nothing' After National Title

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo doesn't plan on getting excited about the Spartans' 2025 NCAA Tournament run unless he's celebrating a national championship.

"Once you win a national championship, winning a tournament game means nothing... It doesn’t turn me on," Izzo said, per USA Today's Dan Wolken.

The Spartans are preparing to take on Ole Miss on Friday night with a ticket to the Elite Eight on the line.

Izzo, who is in his 30th season with the Spartans, has led Michigan State to 15 prior appearances in the Sweet 16. He most made it there in 2023, and took the Spartans as far as the Final Four in 2019.

But the longtime Michigan State head coach hasn't been to the championship game since 2009, when the Spartans lost to North Carolina, and hasn't won a national title since he was coaching Morris Peterson and Mateen Cleaves in 2000.

Izzo's path back to the championship game would involve first beating Ole Miss, then taking on either Michigan or top-seeded Auburn in order to make it to the Final Four.

Izzo recently said he hasn't been prioritizing the transfer portal because he is focusing "the guys I got in this program that have done an incredible job this year," according to The Athletic's Justin Williams. That has so far paid off as the Spartans' turnover rate dipped during energetic tournament-opening wins over Bryant and New Mexico.

Izzo will look to extend his 30th season as Spartans head coach when No. 2 Michigan State and No. 6 Ole Miss tip off on Friday night at 7:09 p.m. ET.