Michigan State is moving on.
After a nailbiter of a 73-70 win over the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sweet 16 on Friday night, the Spartans are advancing in the 2025 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. The victory has them advancing to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019—and also made head coach Tom Izzo shed a tear when talking about his team.
“I love these guys,” the 70-year-old told CBS’s Tracy Wolfson after the game. “It’s simple. They don’t quit. We’ve been a second half team. One of these days we’re gonna be a first half team.”
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 29, 2025
Down by two at halftime and by eight with just over 12 minutes to go, the Spartans outscored the Rebels 34-23 down the stretch to secure the win. Freshman guard Jase Richardson led the way for MSU with 20 points on 6 of 8 shooting to go along with six rebounds.
Michigan State’s Elite Eight appearance is Izzo’s 11th(!) since taking over as head coach in East Lansing back in 1995. They’ll play the winner of Friday night’s game between Auburn and Michigan on Sunday for a chance to move on to the Final Four.
The Spartans are looking for their first national championship—Izzo’s lone title—since 2000.
Published
Mike Kadlick is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the New England Patriots for WEEI sports radio in Boston and continues to do so for CLNS Media. He has a master’s in public relations from Boston University. Kadlick is also an avid runner and a proud lover of all things pizza.
