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Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from title-clinching win over Michigan

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - MARCH 09: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans huddles with his team during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - MARCH 09: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans huddles with his team during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – MARCH 09: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts on the bench while playing the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – MARCH 09: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts on the bench while playing the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Breslin Center on March 9, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

1. Tom Izzo’s still got it

Murmurs of an impending Tom Izzo retirement within the next few years spread like wildfire following the final buzzer of the Syracuse loss in round two a season ago. The season ended abruptly despite Michigan State having one of its most talented rosters in school history.

Had Izzo lost his touch? He hadn’t made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in three years and not being able to do so with lottery picks such as Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr. was almost a crime. He was officially deemed ‘washed up’ by opposing fan bases and the subject of all the trolling imaginable in the offseason.

Then he took a page out of Golden State’s book after talking with Steve Kerr in the offseason. The Spartans turned into one of the best passing teams in the country and that ball movement, along with incredible team chemistry, churned out one of the top offenses in college basketball.

Izzo made the necessary adjustments. He saw what didn’t work against Syracuse and re-tooled it in order to make his program successful again.

No, winning 30 games a season ago shouldn’t be overlooked, but when you win that much and lose early in the tourney, the season is a disappointment, and Izzo knew that.

The Hall of Fame head coach took all of the punches in the offseason and has come back to piece together his best coaching job arguably ever with a depleted roster still winning the Big Ten regular season title.

Next. MSU basketball: 5 bold predictions for March. dark

Izzo’s still got it, folks.

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