Michigan State Basketball: Tom Izzo denies retirement rumors
Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo shot down rumors of a potential retirement, per Tim Brando.
The tension in East Lansing was palpable on Friday, just one day after Larry Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in Ingham County court. A report from ESPN detailed over a decade of sexual assaults at Michigan State which argued that Mark Dantonio and Tom Izzo mishandled them.
Must Read: Mark Dantonio shoots down rumors of looming retirement
A report came out via Bartsool Spartans’ Twitter account that both Izzo and Dantonio were planning on resigning within the next week, but no one knew what exactly to believe as credible sources refuted it shortly after.
Just before tipoff, Tim Brando of FOX Sports 1 got a chance to speak to Izzo and he immediately shot down any rumors of him leaving the program.
Tom Izzo on retirement rumors: "There's absolutely no truth to that report."
— Spartan Avenue (@SpartanAvenueFS) January 27, 2018
That’s both of the universities’ key figures have affirmed their support of the victims and stated that they won’t be leaving amidst the rumors of retirement.
Izzo has been with the program for over two decades and the ESPN report specified a couple of incidents within the past 10 years which accused him of covering up assaults. The first was the handling of the Adreian Payne-Keith Appling case and the next was Travis Walton’s case when he was an assistant under Izzo.
While Dantonio has already refuted the ESPN report and dubbed the accusations against him false, Izzo has yet to speak openly to the media — we will hear from him after the Wisconsin game on Friday night.
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It’s been a dark time for the university, but Izzo stated that it’s time for leaders to help victims of Nassar, and other sexual assault cases, to heal.