For Izzo, the 2025 March Madness is proving to be a family affair he’d rather avoid. He’s faced Rick multiple times, including a 2009 Midwest Regional Final win that propelled the Spartans to the national championship game, and a 2015 Elite Eight loss. Now, Rick Pitino’s son’s rise adds a new chapter to this saga. While Izzo’s team had just secured a dominant 87-62 victory over Bryant in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, his mind was already on the next challenge: a second-round matchup against the 10th-seeded New Mexico Lobos, coached by Richard Pitino. “A good coach, this team has some size,” Izzo said, praising the Lobos’ performance after their upset 75-66 win over Marquette.

His admiration is much visible but so is his exasperation that he put forth playfully. It’s Richard’s turn to take a swing as a Pitino, leading a team that’s already toppled UCLA and USC this season- two programs that handed Michigan State losses. Izzo’s take on the father-son duo was shared via an NCAA March Madness X post. “You don’t win a number of games, they beat UCLA, they beat USC, I mean those team beat us. I know Richard so, and so I know Rick, damn family’s ruining my life here, ” said Izzo.

There are no doubts about Rick Pitino’s status as a titan in college basketball. He’s the only coach to win NCAA national championships at two different schools—Kentucky in 1996 and Louisville in 2013 (though the latter was vacated due to an NCAA investigation). He’s led three programs—Providence, Kentucky, and Louisville—to a combined seven Final Fours, a feat unmatched in the sport’s history. “For a guy who’s done it at different levels and different schools, I haven’t done that. That’s why I do have great respect for Rick,” Izzo said of his rival in 2015. And looking at the recent video, it’s fair to say that his respect for the name Pitino hasn’t faded one bit.

Izzo is also right to call the family a thorn in his side as this tournament, Pitino’s influence will extend beyond his own team. As per a post on X, “When Rick Pitino was asked about his son Richard getting matched up with Marquette, he smirked and said they’ll be having a discussion on how to game plan for them”. As if Richard’s own pedigree wasn’t enough, he will now be handed his father’s clipboard too. So, we understand Izzo.

Richard Pitino, 42, has carved his own path that does establish him as a formidable foe. Since taking over at New Mexico in 2021, he’s given a new life to a program that hadn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in a decade. In his third season, the Lobos finished with a 22-12 record and won the Mountain West Conference Tournament. This year, well, Izzo told you himself above, but he does have more to say. “Richard Pitino’s done a hell of a job there,” Izzo acknowledged in an interview with CBS Sports.

With No. 10 New Mexico’s victory over No. 7 Marquette on Friday, Richard and Rick Pitino become the first father-son coaching duo to both win an NCAA Tournament game in the same season, according to John Fanta of FOX Sports. No. 2 St. John’s beat Omaha on Thursday, so the elder Pitino will face off against friend-turned-rival John Calipari and No. 10 Arkansas on Saturday. Both wins marked historic campaigns for the respective teams.

The Red Storm might be in the Big Dance for the first time since 2015, but Izzo himself is no stranger to the pressure that comes in March. Should Tom Izzo be worried about his next opponents, despite surpassing Bob Knight for the most victories by a Big Ten men’s basketball coach?

Looking at Tom Izzo’s struggle in the March Madness

Tom Izzo has led the Spartans to eight Final Fours and a national title in 2000, boasting a 56-25 NCAA Tournament record. Yet, at 70 years old, he’s still chasing that elusive second championship, a drought that’s stretched 25 years. “It’s a lot harder to coach today than it was 25 years ago,” Izzo told ESPN.

Michigan State basketball opened the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and they dispatched the 15-seeded Bryant Bulldogs. But it wasn’t straightforward, as the big-time win on Friday was filled with challenges. Bryant’s physically gave the Spartans a headache for a majority of the contest, but the latter ended the night with 87-62.

Spartan reached the tournament’s second weekend back in 2023, as they beat the then No. 2 seed Marquette. But that’s the only time Tom Izzo has been to the Sweet 16 since 2019. In fact, it was only one of two times over the past decade, that Michigan State reached that stage. So, the Sparty will be looking to regain the lost glory as they face the Lobos.

Analysts say that the game between Izzo and Pitino hinges on pace. New Mexico thrives in transition, ranking 18th nationally in adjusted tempo (71.4 possessions per game, per KenPom.com), while Michigan State excels in half-court sets, ranking 10th in defensive efficiency (91.2 points allowed per 100 possessions). If Izzo can slow the game, his experience might prevail. But if Richard dictates a track meet, the Lobos could pull off another upset. Izzo will especially have to look out for Donovan Dent and big man Nelly Junior Joseph.

So, it seems like another mouth-watering clash waits for us. It’s only a matter of time.