Tom Izzo 'Comfortable' He Handled MSU Sexual Assault Allegations Correctly

The Michigan State athletic department has been under the microscope since an Outside the Lines investigation from Paula Lavigne and Nicole Noren of ESPN reported on "a pattern of widespread denial, inaction and information suppression" regarding violence against women, but head men's basketball coach Tom Izzo believes he correctly handled allegations against those in his program. 

"The only thing I'm sure of is I feel so comfortable that I handled it the right way the whole time," Izzo said Friday, per Dan Murphy of ESPN.com.

Izzo told Murphy he plans on responding to specific allegations surrounding his basketball program in the future.

The Outside the Lines report specifically mentions former basketball player and assistant Travis Walton. In 2010, he was charged for punching a female student in the face and later named in a sexual assault report when a female student said he and two Spartans basketball players raped her.

Assault and battery charges against Walton were dismissed, as he ultimately pled guilty to a civil infraction for littering. According to Murphy, Izzo declined to answer in January when asked why Walton remained with the basketball team in the immediate aftermath of that case.

Former Michigan State sexual assault counselor Lauren Allswede discussed the rape allegations and said, per Outside the Lines, "little action was taken in regard to the players, and the report stayed within the athletic department, not to be investigated by anyone who handled student conduct or judicial affairs issues."

Walton issued a statement denying he physically assaulted a woman and saying he has never been charged with sexual assault.

The Outside the Lines investigation was released shortly after former Michigan State physician and United States Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced up to 175 years in prison for sexual abuse.

The report also mentioned the football program, saying at least 16 players have been accused of violence against women since head coach Mark Dantonio was hired into his current position in 2007.

The Spartans basketball team defeated Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals Friday and will face Michigan in Saturday's semifinal matchup.