Tom Izzo Says He Will Cooperate with Sexual Assault Investigation, Not Retiring

Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo told reporters Friday night he will fully cooperate with any investigation into the school's handling of allegations of sexual assault and violence against women by members of his teams. 

"We will cooperate with any investigation going forward as we have always done," Izzo said following Friday's 76-61 win over Wisconsin at the Breslin Student Events Center, according to The Athletic's Seth Davis. "That's about all I have to say about it. I understand you may have a million questions. I'm probably not going to answer them. 

"I'm going to stick to worrying about the survivors. I really am," he added. 

Izzo also made it clear he has no plans to retire in the wake of an Outside the Lines investigation published by Paula Lavigne and Nicole Noren that showed "a pattern of widespread denial, inaction and information suppression" by school officials regarding cases of alleged sexual assault committed by members of the football and basketball programs. 

"I'm not going anywhere in my mind," he said, per Davis. "I'm definitely not retiring.

"I hope that I'm a big part of the healing process for them and our campus community...since I've been here longer than anybody."

In the report published Friday, Lavigne and Noren highlighted cases of sexual assault and violence against several women involving former Spartans basketball players Keith Appling, Adreian Payne and Travis Walton, who also served as an undergraduate assistant under Izzo. 

"I've seen the report," Izzo said, according to Davis. "It's been an interesting two days....I'll hold judgment on that until I really get a chance to learn about everything."