MSU's Izzo Says He's 'Nobody's Damn Little Brother' After UM Loss

The Spartans' head coach spoke about how his team played following the team's rivalry loss to Michigan.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo expressed frustration after his team's 90-80 loss to rival Michigan on Sunday, saying his team is "nobody's damn 'little brother'" in response to chants from Michigan fans. Izzo discussed several controversial plays in the game, including a technical foul on Jeremy Fears Jr. for kicking a Michigan player, and criticized his team's ball-screen coverage as the main reason for the defeat. Despite the loss, Izzo remained relatively positive about his team's performance, calling Michigan a "really, really, really good team." The Spartans now turn their attention to the Big Ten Tournament, where they will be the No. 3 seed.

Why it matters

The rivalry between Michigan State and Michigan is one of the fiercest in college basketball, and Izzo's comments highlight the intensity and emotion surrounding these matchups. The loss also has implications for the Spartans' postseason seeding and their chances of winning a national championship.

The details

In the game, Michigan State suffered its second loss to Michigan this season, the first time the Spartans have lost to the Wolverines both at home and on the road since 2013-14. Izzo was particularly upset about a technical foul called on Jeremy Fears Jr. for kicking a Michigan player, saying he didn't think Fears did it intentionally. Izzo also criticized his team's ball-screen coverage as the main reason for the defeat, mentioning it multiple times in his postgame press conference.

  • The game was played on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

The players

Tom Izzo

The head coach of the Michigan State Spartans basketball team.

Jeremy Fears Jr.

A player for the Michigan State Spartans who received a technical foul for kicking a Michigan player.

Elliot Cadeau

A player for the Michigan Wolverines who was involved in the incident with Jeremy Fears Jr.

Aday Mara

A player for the Michigan Wolverines who received a technical foul and a flagrant 1 foul during the game.

Carson Cooper

A player for the Michigan State Spartans who was involved in the incident with Aday Mara.

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What they’re saying

“I guess the crowd didn't watch the game, because I'm nobody's damn 'little brother.' Neither is my team. I'm really proud of my team, how they played, what they did.”

— Tom Izzo, Head Coach, Michigan State Spartans (si.com)

“I don't think he did anything on purpose. I think it was a reaction [to the foul]. I don't know the whole deal about it... I did what I was going to do: I chewed him out for it, but I watched it on tape, and the guy's pushing him in the back, and sometimes that stuff happens, you know.”

— Tom Izzo, Head Coach, Michigan State Spartans (si.com)

“What we didn't take care of is our damn ball screen coverage. And I don't know what happened. We went brain-dead because we just weren't up, which we've done a lot. So it's got to be the coach, because we just didn't do a good enough job. So you've got to blame us.”

— Tom Izzo, Head Coach, Michigan State Spartans (si.com)

What’s next

Michigan State will play in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday night, facing either No. 6 seed UCLA, No. 11 seed Minnesota, or No. 14 seed Rutgers.

The takeaway

Izzo's comments highlight the intense rivalry between Michigan State and Michigan, and the Spartans' loss raises questions about their ability to compete at the highest level in the postseason. However, Izzo remained relatively positive about his team's performance, suggesting they can learn from this experience and make a strong push in the Big Ten Tournament and beyond.