Michigan State Basketball: Tom Izzo on the verge of history vs. Penn State

Michigan State basketball is set to take on the Nittany Lions on Tuesday which could end up being a historic night for Tom Izzo.

Tom Izzo could be in for a historic night against Penn State on Tuesday. With a Michigan State basketball win, he would be tied with all-time great coach Bob Knight for the most wins by a Big Ten coach.

Izzo took over the head coaching position in East Lansing back in the 1995-96 season. On Jan. 4, 1996, he coached his first Big Ten game as he took on the legendary Knight. In the first conference game of his coaching career, Izzo beat Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers 65-60.

This was the first of many wins for Izzo throughout the years but fast forward to Tuesday night’s game against Penn State and he could walk out of Happy Valley tied for the most wins as a head coach in the history of the conference.

Bob Knight coached the Indiana Hoosiers for 29 seasons and stepped away with 662 wins. This is Izzo’s 27th season with the Spartans and is playing to tie that record. In the five seasons that he went head-to-head with Knight in conference play, Izzo had the upper hand. He was 5-3 against Knight.

Throughout his career, Izzo has 10 regular-season titles while Knight had 11. The Big Ten Tournament was started in the 1997-98 season so Knight only had three chances to come away with a title there and he did not. Izzo, on the other hand, has had serveral chances to become the Big Ten Tournament winner which he has taken full advantage of with six championships.

Izzo has coached seven Big Ten Player of the Year winners with many others who were involved in consideration. Knight only had three players chosen to be the Big Ten Player of the Year but the award did not start until halfway through his career at Indiana.

Knight led Indiana to five Final Fours, winning the whole thing three times. Izzo has only won the whole thing once but has coached his teams to eight Final Four appearances. Izzo is also second in most consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, currently with 23.

Izzo has had quite an impressive career and it would be a huge day for him if he can coach his team to victory and surpass this record, becoming the Big Ten’s winningest coach of all time.