If you told Michigan State fans before the season that the Spartans would be 10-1 through 11 games with just a couple non-conference matchups left against lesser opponents, they would’ve jumped at the idea. With Arkansas, Duke, North Carolina, and Kentucky on the schedule, a 10-1 record through all of those ranked teams would’ve been thought to be a miracle.
Instead, that’s exactly where Michigan State sits, but if you ask Tom Izzo, he’d tell you that it’s not good enough.
And the reason it’s not up to his liking? Himself. He still blames himself for the coaching deficiencies when Duke switched to a zone in the final minutes of that game two Saturdays ago in East Lansing.
During his weekly radio show, he admitted that Michigan State should be 11-0.
“These guys are 10-1 and if their coach knew how to beat a zone they’d be 11-0”
— Spartans Hoops (@HoopsSpartans) December 18, 2025
- Tom Izzo on his radio show
Good for Izzo for admitting that his poor coaching against the zone hurt the Spartans once again. He hasn’t forgotten that infamous loss in which the zone ended Michigan State’s season back in 2018. The Spartans had one of the best teams in the country, led by Miles Bridges, Cassius Winston, and Jaren Jackson Jr., but Syracuse’s zone was the difference. That ended what felt like a national title season way too early.
Izzo is clearly very self aware, and the zone did hurt Michigan State’s offense in the final minutes of that Duke game in East Lansing. This team should be 11-0, he’s right.
Michigan State has what it takes to win it all
Aside from the zone struggles, Michigan State has everything you need to contend for a national title, despite what experts thought before the season.
Michigan State has an elite point guard and leader in Jeremy Fears Jr., the team’s athleticism is through the roof, the rebounding is fantastic, toughness is there, and there’s a ton of depth. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to have a Hall of Fame head coach who has won big before.
The pieces are all there for Michigan State to make a deep run. The Spartans just have to be prepared for the zone next time a team inevitably tries to run it.