Tom Izzo doesn't sound like he's hanging it up any time soon after another Sweet 16

Well, Spartan fans, it’s officially the worst day of the year: the day after the final game of Michigan State’s season. The Spartans fell short again, this time in the Sweet 16 to UConn after making a furious comeback from an early 19-point deficit.

Michigan State stormed back and it looked like Tom Izzo was going to make his second straight Elite Eight for the first time in over a decade, but the Huskies had other plans.

UConn was just too much for the Spartans early and Michigan State ran out of gas at the end, but this loss has not crushed Izzo’s spirit. Actually, it almost seems as if this loss to UConn has motivated him once again — just like the loss to North Carolina a few years ago.

In the post-game presser, a surprisingly upbeat Izzo was asked where he saw himself in five years, and his answer should make this horrible day after a loss just a little bit better.

No coaches at Izzo’s age have ever talked like this. He’s defying the odds and coaching into his 70s, piecing together Big Ten title-contending rosters. Izzo has won 57 games over the past two seasons and were just a few plays away from making the Elite Eight to get a rematch with Duke.

Unfortunately, Izzo will be back in East Lansing to finish off the weekend when he wanted to stay in D.C. to complete the mission, but he’ll now be looking toward the future.

And he’s not ready to retire any time soon. According to him, he feels good.

This felt eerily similar to the Tom Izzo we saw after the UNC loss in 2023

Although Izzo was a little more positive this time around, the version of him that we saw after the UConn loss on Friday night was eerily similar to the one we witnessed after that North Carolina loss in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The feeling is very familiar.

Izzo vowed after that loss that he would get Michigan State back to the top or die trying. Those infamous words have sparked a heck of a two-year run with 57 wins and a Big Ten title.

Also, Michigan State has earned a 2-seed and a 3-seed in the subsequent NCAA Tournaments since making that statement after years of 7-11 seeds. He made good on his promise, got the Spartans one win away from a Final Four last year, and they were a couple of bounces away from making it back to the Elite Eight this year.

Izzo made good on his last promise, but we’ll see if he can take it to another level with this one. At least we know he’s not going anywhere any time soon.