Twitter reaction to Tom Izzo leading Michigan State to another Sweet 16

Tom Izzo and Michigan State advance to the Sweet 16, beating 2-seed Marquette in an upset in the NCAA Tournament. Coach is fairly happy with the results.

This was a rare year for Tom Izzo and Michigan State Basketball, coming into the year with no real expectations. They were unranked heading into the season and some (myself) thought they were in danger of missing out on the NCAA Tournament altogether.

But the Spartans got in comfortable as a 7 seed. They defeated their first-round opponent, USC to set up a matchup with 10-seed Marquette. The Golden Eagles were riding a 10-game winning streak after winning the Big East Tournament and had plenty of momentum.

But leave it to Izzo and company to set the tone, early and often. Michigan State got off to an 18-5 lead. But the Golden Eagles were able to come back and take the lead in the second half, with the final minutes to decide the game. Yet thanks to center Mady Sissoko and a couple of key blocks to prevent scoring opportunities, Michigan State prevailed with a 69-60 victory to advance to the Sweet 16.

Tyson Walker led all scorers with 23 points, including some key baskets down the stretch. Joey Hauser had 14 points and 10 rebounds, while AJ Hoggard had 13 points and four assists. This was a roster that was doubted all year but unlike the likes of Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas, and Arizona, the Spartans are still around to dance. Long enough so that Coach Izzo can “get one of those big slices of pizza” at their next stop in New York.

For Izzo, this makes it his 15th appearance in the Sweet 16, the first since 2019. The Hall of Fame head coach has eight Final Four appearances and a national title as well. He’s been putting the Big Ten on his back for the past couple of decades as he and Michigan State has been the only program that has consistently had success in the NCAA Tournament.

The path is open for the Spartans as well in the East Region, with Duke, Purdue, and Kentucky all gone. They take on a dangerous Kansas State squad but if they get past them, will have either Tennessee or the winner of Fairleigh Dickinson and Florida Atlantic. And based on the reactions from Twitter, look for there to be even more excitement to see how far Michigan State can go.