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30 Years Later, Tom Izzo 'Excited as Hell' for Another Michigan State Basketball Season
A Legacy of Success
Tom Izzo has been at the helm of the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball program for three decades, and he's still as excited as ever to be coaching.
"I'm excited as hell," Izzo said at the team's media day on Thursday. "I'm excited about this group. I think we have a chance to be really good."
Izzo has led the Spartans to eight Final Fours, two national championships, and eight Big Ten regular-season titles during his tenure in East Lansing. He is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.
"I'm not going anywhere," Izzo said. "I'm here to win championships."
A New Era
The Spartans are coming off a disappointing season in which they finished 15-13 and missed the NCAA Tournament. But Izzo is confident that his team will bounce back this year.
"We have a lot of new faces, but I like our potential," Izzo said. "We have some guys who can score, we have some guys who can defend, and we have some guys who can rebound."
One of the new faces on the team is freshman point guard A.J. Hoggard. Hoggard is a five-star recruit who is expected to make an immediate impact for the Spartans.
"A.J. is a special player," Izzo said. "He's a great passer, he can score, and he's a great defender. I think he's going to be a star."
Big Ten Contenders
The Spartans play in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, the Big Ten. But Izzo believes that his team has what it takes to compete for a championship.
"The Big Ten is always tough," Izzo said. "But I think we have a team that can compete with anyone in the country."
The Spartans open their season on November 9th against Western Michigan.
Conclusion
Tom Izzo is excited about the future of Michigan State basketball. He has a young and talented team that has the potential to be a national championship contender. The Spartans are poised to make a run in the NCAA Tournament this year, and Izzo is confident that they can bring another title back to East Lansing.