By john neidhart
jneidhart@statenews.com
March is what some may call the month after February. Others call it Izzo.
MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo has taken over tournament time, annually working magic on his teams and pumping out NCAA tournament runs.
His preparation, schemes and in-game adjustments are major reasons he’s been to six Final Fours and is likely headed to an 18th straight tournament. His team’s runs in March are rooted in deeper soil than just his coaching, however.
“It’s a culture that’s been developed, not by me, but by the players that played here before,” Izzo said. “I say it all the time, but it’s (Earvin) ‘Magic’ (Johnson) calling in this week, it’s Steve Smith calling in. It’s still the same thing, and when they call me, they call the players. You know, like Denzel (Valentine) said it best in the locker room after, it’s what you expect here.”
Current players have a network of former Spartans to reach out to, but often they don’t need to.
Senior guard Travis Trice said he talked to Mateen Cleaves on Friday. He’s often in contact with Travis Walton and of course, Draymond Green. Texting with “Day Day” is an everyday occurrence, and Trice said that the current Golden State Warrior frequently has something to say in their group chat.
“That’s the one thing that we really embrace at Michigan State,” Trice said. “ All the past guys talk to you, call you. You have their numbers.”
Junior guard Denzel Valentine also said he talks to Green “all the time.” Valentine talked to Cleaves following MSU’s tournament opening win Friday and is “pretty sure Magic will hit us up soon.”
When they’re not speaking over the phone, it’s a face-to-face meeting. For a Feb. 14 matchup against Ohio State, Gary Harris, Adreian Payne and Green were all in attendance.
Harris and Payne practiced with the team and Green addressed the team during halftime.
It helps a lot when success has been ingrained in MSU’s blood over the years. Green went to two Final Fours and played in a championship game. Johnson had a stellar career as well, winning one NCAA title, five NBA titles and three NBA MVP awards.
Whether it’s venting, seeking advice or just talking hoops, Spartan alumni have provided a backbone of support that makes Izzo’s very demanding job as head coach a tad easier and has helped fuel some of these late-season runs.
“My staff has done an incredible job,” Izzo said. “I give them credit on the quick turnarounds, but boy, you’ve got to give all the players that were here before that still care enough about this program, and that’s made a difference why I think we’re good in March so far.”
