EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State’s head coach, Tom Izzo, has been attempting to minimize the anticipation surrounding his potential to surpass Bob Knight’s record for Big Ten basketball wins.
However, the circumstances on Tuesday night may have caught him off guard.
The 11th-ranked Spartans fell to Indiana by a score of 71-67, meaning Izzo remains tied with Knight at 353 conference victories for the time being.
Izzo will have the opportunity to break the record this Saturday against Illinois.

In an unexpected twist, former NFL coach Steve Mariucci made a surprise appearance at the Breslin Center, where he took a seat on the Spartans’ bench with his back turned toward Izzo as the coach approached for warm-ups prior to the game against the Hoosiers.
Izzo and Mariucci, who have roots in Iron Mountain in Michigan’s upper peninsula, both attended Northern Michigan University before their respective coaching careers took off.

Coach Izzo had previously tied Knight’s Big Ten record during a comeback against Oregon, winning 86-74 on Saturday.
Knight, who passed away in 2023, achieved significant success during his tenure at Indiana, leading the team to three NCAA championships between 1971 and 2000.
He also played the role of mentor to Izzo during Izzo’s debut season as the head coach of Michigan State in 1995.

Indiana’s current coach, Mike Woodson, was a standout player under Knight from 1976 to 1980 and is now in his fourth season attempting to revitalize the program.
Last week, it was announced that Woodson will resign from his position after the current season concludes.
Following his team’s recent victory that ended a five-game losing streak, Woodson expressed determination.
“I can’t let them quit,” he stated. “We’ve just got to keep working and pushing each other to see how far we can go.”
He emphasized that plenty of the season remains ahead.