Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo 'Really Disappointed' After Losing to UCLA

Spartans fall to Bruins in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal

Mar. 15, 2026 at 11:38am

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No. 8 Michigan State had previously defeated UCLA in East Lansing, but the Bruins got the better of the Spartans in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament, leaving head coach Tom Izzo 'really disappointed' in his team's performance.

Why it matters

Michigan State was the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, so this loss to UCLA was an unexpected and disappointing outcome for the Spartans, who were hoping to make a deep run in the conference tournament.

The details

In their previous matchup last month, Michigan State had its way with UCLA in East Lansing. However, the tables turned in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal, as the Bruins were able to defeat the Spartans and advance in the tournament.

  • The teams previously met in East Lansing last month.
  • The quarterfinal matchup between Michigan State and UCLA took place on Friday night.

The players

Tom Izzo

The head coach of the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team.

UCLA

The University of California, Los Angeles men's basketball team.

Michigan State Spartans

The men's basketball team of Michigan State University, who were the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.

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What they’re saying

“I was really disappointed in how we played,”

— Tom Izzo, Head Coach, Michigan State Spartans

The takeaway

This loss to UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal is a setback for the Michigan State Spartans, who were expected to make a deep run in the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed. The team and its head coach, Tom Izzo, will need to regroup and refocus as they look ahead to the NCAA Tournament.