As the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 wraps up and the Elite Eight begins, coaches are gearing up to try to bring their squad to the Final Four. One of those teams is Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans. After defeating Ole Miss last night, Izzo went on College Gameday to share his thoughts on the Spartans’ tournament run and tomorrow’s matchup with Auburn.
Tom Izzo’s Honest Thoughts on Michigan State’s Elite Eight Run
Michigan State defeated Ole Miss 73-70 in the Sweet 16 of March Madness on Friday night, setting up an Elite Eight showdown with Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers. Following the win, Izzo appeared on ESPN’s College Gameday, where he honestly and hilariously said: “All those guys on your panel … You might not be surprised we’re here, but I am surprised we’re here.”
“All those guys on your panel … You might not be surprised we’re here, but I am surprised we’re here.” 😂
Tom Izzo joins GameDay coming off Michigan State’s Sweet Sixteen win over 6-seed Ole Miss. pic.twitter.com/2YkwtZO7iL
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) March 29, 2025
Although the Spartans are a 2-seed, Izzo’s shock that his team is in this position is understandable. Michigan State wasn’t ranked to start the season and didn’t crack the AP Top-25 poll until week six, eventually sneaking into the top ten at the week 12 mark.
Izzo’s squad also doesn’t shoot the three ball very well, 31%, which ranks 316th in the country. The hall-of-fame coach mentions that this team isn’t the most talented he’s coached, but the togetherness is propelling this team and what Izzo is most proud of from this year’s Spartans.
Michigan State is one of the most well-rounded teams in the country. Their leading scorers, Jaden Akins and Jase Richardson, are the only two who average double-digit points, 12.8 and 12.2 ppg. However, it is what fueled this Elite Eight run and made the Spartans so hard to play against; the scoring can come from anywhere on the floor.
Although Izzo is surprised by how far his team has made it in this year’s tournament, fans of the sport are accustomed to this success from the Michigan State head coach. Since Izzo took over the program in the 1995-1996 season, he has had 27 tournament appearances, 16 Sweet 16 appearances, 11 Elite Eight appearances, and eight Final Four births.
He ranks first among coaches in all those categories except Sweet 16 appearances, in which he ranks second.
KEEP READING: Tom Izzo Shares His Feelings With Emotional 4-Word Response After Advancing to Elite Eight
Izzo will try to add to those stats as his Spartans fight for a Final Four appearance tomorrow afternoon against Auburn in the Elite Eight.
Don’t miss a moment of March Madness! Download your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket and stay on top of every game, matchup, and Cinderella story. Get yours now!
