Tom Izzo: The hardest loss in my 39 years at MSU

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo explains the sentimental value behind what he recalls as the worst loss to-date during his illustrious tenure at MSU. Coach goes on by praising Mateen Cleeves as the “Magic Johnson” of the Spartans’ national championship team in 2000, plus the emotional toll of continually pursuing a second title. We also get to hear from Cleeves himself.
#Spartans #CollegeBasketball #MichiganState
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[@zikemiller1466]

Got screwed by Covid. Cassius would have been in the hunt.

[@beastgirl43]

That team was red hot and the field was sort of down that year. I agree, that was their championship to lose

[@gabrieleseilo]

woulda been Izzo's second

[@Spartan_AG_999]

I feel like Cassius Winston and Tillman had a real shot! That game against Texas Tech made me so mad the way they mugged our guys defensively. We had beat Duke But couldn't finish

[@tomtrockenbrod6796]

This coach is a class act...kind of coach you want your kid to b coached by,wears his heart on his sleeve and truly geniuly cares about his players...I've been a college bball fan for 35 years much respect to tom izzo

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

not according to the ksu postgame interview

[@Chris-hv8cu]

I remember getting home from school and watching that game and it broke my heart

[@jasonrhodes7047]

As a spartan fan that loss was the toughest to witness because I felt that was their best team under Izzo.

[@unvrknow22]

Middle Tennessee St. was certainly a tough one. The 2014 loss to UConn was brutal too. That year, MSU started 18-1 and looked dominant, with guys like Gary Harris, Adreian Payne, Branden Dawson, and a young Denzel Valentine. They struggled through injuries in the 2nd half of the year and dropped in the standings, but they got healthy as the post-season began and won the B1G tournament and then defeated the #1 seed Virginia in the Sweet 16. I truly thought they were about to give Coach Izzo his 2nd National Championship because they could've been a #1 seed themselves if they stayed healthy, but Shabazz Napier lost his mind at Madison Square Garden, having a monster game in the Elite 8 and the dream evaporated right there. That might've been Izzo's best team since 2001, certainly up to that point anyway.

[@jumpman313]

2014 was the worst for me 😢

[@evanhibbs676]

Great point

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

izzo can never finish it out

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

msu led at halftime and napier only had 8 points in the second half

[@CarlJohnson-ou3yr]

Yes I agree 2014 was the worst for me. Everyone in the starting five at least went to the nba summer league

[@jimbeck4317]

Weber State vs Michigan State 1995. Still see that one in my nighmares

[@AustinRides7264]

As a Michigan fan I enjoyed hearing Tom go through it. Good coach and easy to listen to. Go blue! I secretly root for TI and MSU basketball. Michigan first but I'll cheer for the Spartans in the tournament. Fun teams to watch over the years

[@rayknightstep9083]

Getting stomped by Carolina in the NCAA Final having major home court advantage at Ford Field is one of the biggest hurt losses I recall.

[@stevenhaas9622]

it seemed like the stars had all lined up for us and then it all came crashing down.

[@dr.spartacus8754]

That NC team was a tremendous team.

[@jameslandis4058]

I think the MSU loss to the National Championship Uconn hurt me the most. MSU was so much better than they were yet blew the game.

[@PthaloGreen2]

I still remember the MTSU loss. Painful!

[@MrZubble]

The no-call on Draymond vs Butthead should have been Izzo's 2nd and the missing covid tourney w/ Cash should have been his 3rd.

[@HokageFlete]

That Covid year team was the best team Izzo ever had. Cash was insane

[@jimbeck4317]

I have that picture on my phone. This is still not a foul in Indiana!

[@crazyman1118]

That 2020 team would've at the very least played in the national championship game. Period.

[@dr.spartacus8754]

Losing to Syracuse in the first round was terrible. Izzo would not play Jaren Jackson against the Zone. That one drove me CRAZY!

[@Hamiltonhoops]

COVID took one from us. We had that year man

[@Caleb-hs1dl]

you lost 10 games 💀💀

[@zoner__]

Guy that never left for greener pastures cause he is as GREEN as it gets. Thank you Tom and GO GREEN.

[@onefoot7]

That Loss kills me to this day.......Yooper

[@Salvatore1268]

I picked Michigan state to win the tournament that year in my office pool, i was knocked out first game first day, and did i get ridiculed for that.

[@crazyman1118]

I think the 2023-24 MSU team has national championship chances based on the vets and the upcoming recruiting class.

[@reidcook4921]

Hoggard, Booker, fears, rivers, brooks, Akins, Koehler, and holloman should all be good

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

that's if everyone stays

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

@@reidcook4921 hall and walker can also return because of covid

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

something will go wrong of course

[@yeliab149]

If you think about it… almost every year they lose to the team who ends up winning the championship. Toughest schedule in the tournament always.

[@GHStudios1000]

Covid robbed Izzo, Cassius and Tillman were aboutta cook

[@matthoward123]

What a legend starting off by complaining about the seeding on both sides. Hats off to this class act.

[@MickeyMouse-lm6zj]

regardless should have beat mtsu

[@stevenhaas9622]

To me the 2010 loss to Butler in the final 4. I have zero doubt we would have beaten duke in the final. That team was special. They were coming off a final-4 the year before that ended badly in the championship game against that monumental UNC team in Detroit. and was peaking at the right moment. Lucas, Draymond, Roe, Summers, Allen, Raymar, Lucious. If Kalin Lucas hadn't blown his achilleas against Maryland in the 2nd round they would have run right through that tourney. Even then they rallied around each other and battled through to the final-4 and lost a squeaker to a Butler team that got a lot of home cooking that weekend playing in Indy especially at the end when Green was obviously fouled and no call and then that phantom foul giving Butler the win. I'm still pissed off about that. MSU got jobbed in that game.

[@ronnywestbrooks3794]

The guy who never could beat Duke

[@johnvielhaber6858]

Ask Zion...

[@bradleyholt9805]

He did it twice in the tournament.

[@zoner__]

And whomever you are rooting for neither.

[@jamminjames9656]

Because he doesn’t value offense. If he coached Shawn Respert or Steve Smith they wouldn’t have had the shooting numbers they had because he wouldn’t allow them to shoot. He had two NBA players in Bridges and Jackson and they got beat by a zone defense because he had no answer or offense to beat it. Basketball is an offense game first. Then defense and rebounding. That comes after the shot is made or missed.

[@jms-wo7dm]

🤡

[@jimbeck4317]

If you like pretty boy jump shooters this is not your team

[@jamminjames9656]

@@jimbeck4317 pretty boys not so much. Give me a team of Caitlyn Clarks and I’ll give you a national championship trophy. Unless you’re into ballet.

[@laj382]

Let's not forget that Izzo had Jackson on the bench the last 10 minutes of the gamed and played Ben Carter who had hardly played that season. Izzo is not a game coach.

[@Caleb-hs1dl]

lmaooo whiny izzo back at it w the excuses. If you were that good you would’ve beaten them