Tom Izzo Wins 500th Career Game vs. Boston College: Latest Details and Reaction

The Michigan State Spartans destroyed the Boston College Eagles on Thursday, 99-68, at the Wooden Legacy tournament in Fullerton, California, but the outcome took a back seat to the career accomplishments of head coach Tom Izzo. 

The victory was Izzo’s 500th of his career, and Michigan State Basketball congratulated him for the feat:

Izzo is 500-199 at the school since he took over in the 1995-96 season. He's never finished with a losing season in all 20 years in East Lansing and has 15 campaigns with at least 20 wins on his resume.

SportsCenter added historical context to his accomplishments:   

According to Kyle Austin of MLive.com, Izzo said: "It's Thanksgiving, you're supposed to give thanks, and there's so many people that have been instrumental. ... I said Mike Krzyzewski's not sitting home shaking, but in some ways I've got it better than anybody because it's the players I've got that come back and players that I've got that care about."

Izzo has also done plenty of his work in the postseason as a seven-time Big Ten regular-season champion and four-time conference tournament champion. He made the NCAA tournament 18 times and reached seven Final Fours, including the 2000 season, when he won the national championship.

Mateen Cleaves, Draymond Green, Morris Peterson and Jason Richardson all reached consensus All-American status during Izzo’s tenure as well. 

Green was in attendance Thursday to watch the Spartans play under his former coach and rewarded Izzo with a gift, per Jeff Goodman of ESPN:

Green’s presence was appropriate during Thursday’s victory because triple-double threat Denzel Valentine played just like the former Spartan. Valentine finished with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against the Eagles on 11-of-16 shooting from the field.

It was already his second triple-double of the season in five contests, and he made sure the outcome was never in doubt against an overmatched Boston College team.

If Valentine keeps it up, he may earn a spot on the All-American team this year. That would be nothing new for an Izzo-coached player.

As for the Spartans as a whole, with the talent on the roster and their early-season success (5-0), don't be surprised to see them get Izzo much closer to win No. 600 this season.