Michigan State pulled off a major upset on Sunday in order to reach the Sweet 16 of the 2023 men’s NCAA tournament. After taking down No. 2 seed Marquette, Spartans head coach Tom Izzo couldn't hide hold back his emotions during his post-game interview.
The 68-year-old was moved to tears after Michigan State clinched its first Sweet 16 berth since 2019, explaining how proud he was of the team after what he described as a "long year."
"It's been a long year, but really proud of those guys. Shaka [Smart] has a hell of a team, he does a hell of a job. We just finally made some plays. Our defense got a little better again. We made some plays. I'm just happy for our guys," said Izzo.
As for how he's planning to celebrate the program punching its ticket to the next round in Manhattan, Izzo said there's a slice of New York style pizza coming his way, courtesy of MSU's transfer star Tyson Walker. The senior is a Westbury, N.Y. native and led the charge with a game-high 23 points in the round of 32.
One of the longest tenured head coaches in the nation, Izzo has led the Spartans to 25 NCAA tournaments, but despite the familiar territory, it's clear how much the win means to him.
Now, Izzo and Michigan State will set its sights on the Sweet 16, where a matchup against Kansas State awaits.
