- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Michigan State's Tom Izzo Cautious After Big Win Over Illinois
Spartans coach praises team's defense, rebounding, and freshmen in overtime victory over No. 5 ranked Illini.
Feb. 8, 2026 at 3:47am
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo acknowledged that his team was "limping" heading into Saturday's game against Illinois, and even conceded that the Illini are "a better team than we are right now." However, Izzo never said the Spartans didn't earn or deserve their 85-82 overtime victory over the No. 5 ranked Illini. When asked if the win is a building block for momentum, Izzo answered affirmatively but with a caveat, saying he's "not getting ahead of my skis" given the Spartans' recent uneven performances against other Big Ten opponents.
Why it matters
This hard-fought victory over a top-5 ranked conference rival could provide a much-needed confidence boost for Michigan State as they look to solidify their position in the Big Ten standings and make a push for the NCAA Tournament. However, Izzo's cautious tone suggests he wants to keep his team grounded and focused on continued improvement rather than getting carried away with one big win.
The details
Michigan State rallied from a late deficit to force overtime against Illinois, ultimately prevailing 85-82. Izzo praised his team's defense, rebounding, and contributions from freshmen players as key factors in the victory. The Spartans had been struggling with inconsistent play prior to this game, losing to Michigan, Rutgers, and Minnesota in recent weeks.
- The game was played on Saturday, February 8, 2026.
The players
Tom Izzo
The head coach of the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, who has led the program for over 25 years.
What they’re saying
“Yeah, I think so, but I'm not getting ahead of my skis. We were playing really well, winning by 10 points every game. And we didn't play very well against Michigan. We didn't play very well against Rutgers. And we didn't play very well against Minnesota. So when you've been in it 100 years like I have, (it's a) building block.”
— Tom Izzo, Head Coach
“Hell no.”
— Tom Izzo, Head Coach
What’s next
The Spartans will look to build on this big win as they continue their Big Ten schedule, with key upcoming games against ranked opponents like Purdue and Ohio State.
The takeaway
Tom Izzo's cautious optimism after this signature victory over a top-5 team underscores his desire to keep his team focused on steady improvement rather than getting ahead of themselves. Michigan State has shown it can compete with the Big Ten's elite, but consistency will be crucial as they aim to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.
