Soon, Tom Izzo will lead Michigan State into the NCAA tournament for the 27th consecutive time, chasing that elusive national title he last claimed 25 years ago. If there’s one thing we know about the head coach, it’s that he’s never satisfied. The game evolves, teams shuffle, but one thing remains constant. His tough-love approach. March has been cruel to him before, but here he is again.

And if you thought Izzo would take a conference exit lightly, well, you haven’t been paying attention. The top-seeded Michigan State Spartans fought tooth and nail in the Big Ten semifinals but fell just short in a 77-74 loss to No. 5 seeded Wisconsin. 

Given how rarely we see Izzo crack a smile even after a win, you can imagine how this one went down. After the loss, he didn’t mince words. 

He made it crystal clear that he’s never going to be happy until Michigan State accomplishes what he believes it should. That’s just how he operates. “I guess number one on the list…I gotta do a better job and I mean that from the bottom of my heart,” he said. 

In true Izzo fashion, there was no cooling-off period. He was already planning a staff meeting that night, diving straight into what needed to change. Because why wait? His locker room has always been open immediately after games, and that wasn’t about to change now. In his words, “If they can’t handle the heat, they shouldn’t be in the kitchen.”

Also, even though he’s not exactly the biggest fan of the media, he still lets them in because, in his eyes, it’s all part of the deal. Accountability, honesty, improvement—that’s the Izzo way. He is committed to improvement, even in the face of disappointment. “I gotta get better. They gotta get better. We will get better,” the coach asserted. 

And they must because this game exposed that MSU is still vulnerable to an uncharacteristic performance. But it was a true championship-caliber battle. Every time John Tonje landed a haymaker for Wisconsin, the Spartans had an answer. And every time Michigan State clawed its way back, the Badgers found another way to regain control.

The final 15 seconds were absolute madness. Tre Holloman’s three-point attempt was blocked by Carter Gilmore. Tonje at the free-throw line missed both. Jeremy Fears Jr.’s last-second heave got no call. And just like that, the Spartans’ Big Ten run was over.

Holloman finished with 10 points but had a rough shooting night (3-for-12) and a costly technical foul in the second half. It turned into a heavy momentum-swinging moment. And the coach let him hear it. “You’ve done this over and over again, when are you going to learn!?” he reportedly yelled during a timeout, according to Tracy Wolfson. 

Zero sugarcoating, no soft landings.

After the game, though, Izzo admitted, “I just lost my mind, and then I just snapped back. I gotta keep my cool.”

The loss snapped an eight-game win streak for Michigan State, leaving them at 27-6 and waiting to see where they’ll land in the NCAA tournament. And just like that, their chances at a No. 1 seed might have vanished.

Marked by Tom Izzo’s loss, SEC stands tall with two top seeds

Michigan State’s loss didn’t just sting for them—it shook up the NCAA tournament picture. With both the Spartans and Auburn Tigers falling on Saturday, the SEC is now poised to land multiple No. 1 seeds for the first time in modern history.

Entering the day, Auburn sat as the top overall seed, followed by Duke, Houston, and Florida, with the Tigers, Blue Devils, and Cougars all but locked in. The real battle was that fourth No. 1 seed. But after Tennessee edged out Auburn 70-65 and Wisconsin took down Michigan State, things got a lot clearer.

“I believe the SEC Tournament champion now will be the fourth No. 1 seed,” CBS Sports Bracketology Expert Jerry Palm said. If Michigan State had won the Big Ten tournament, we could’ve seen Auburn (SEC), Duke (ACC), Houston (Big 12), and Michigan State (Big Ten) as the top four. 

Instead, with either Florida or Tennessee guaranteed to win the SEC tournament, the final No. 1 seed will likely go to one of them. Tennessee might just leapfrog Florida if they win the SEC title. 

If Florida wins, they’re essentially locked in as a No. 1 seed. But if Tennessee takes the title, we might see a fierce debate between the two SEC squads for that final top spot. 

With this, the SEC is on track to send 13 or 14 teams to the Big Dance. That would obliterate the Big East’s record of 11 from 2011, back when that conference had 16 teams. In fact, the last time two SEC teams held No. 1 seeds was way back in 1980.

So, March is already delivering chaos, and we just can’t wait for CBS to reveal the brackets!