After a big win, it’s normal to celebrate, but it’s also normal to have a one-night rule. Celebrate after the win, but don’t let that celebration carry over into the next day. For Tom Izzo, he doesn’t even need a whole night.
The Hall of Fame head coach picked up yet another ranked win (he’s used to those lately) and he celebrated by, well, humbling his own team.
Izzo gave one heck of an opening statement following the Spartans’ win over Kentucky that was the most Izzo opening statement of all time.
He praised Kentucky while humbling his own team.
Tom Izzo’s opening statement after Michigan State’s win against Kentucky:
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) November 19, 2025
“We aren’t that good, because we don’t shoot the ball that well. They aren’t that bad because they don’t shoot that badly.”
Just a hilarious statement, and that’s why he‘s the best. He never gives his guys too much credit publicly and he always praises opposing teams. He doesn’t do this to knock his guys, but he does this to make sure they don’t start getting “fat and sassy”, as he likes to say.
There was a little “fat and sassy” play against San Jose State in the second half that rubbed him the wrong way, and he made sure to address that by saying his team isn’t that good.
While he’s partially right about the shooting, he made this statement after one of the best shooting performances in the past two seasons. It’s OK for him to give credit to his guys, and he’ll do plenty of that, but he’s still trying to mold this team into something special.
The Spartans seemingly won’t get too high on themselves after their second straight top-15 win, and that’s because Izzo won’t let them.
He’s a Hall of Famer for a reason.