It’s not easy being at the top.
For the first time since Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson roamed the campus in the late 1970s the Spartans held the No. 1 ranking. But with such an honor comes the pressure of being the best.
MSU rolled through its non-conference schedule, but the pressure caught up with the Spartans at Indiana on Sunday. The Spartans 59-58 loss to the Hoosiers ended their 23 games winning streak.
Ironically, that streak started after last years overtime loss at Indiana.
The loss leaves just four teams in Division I basketball undefeated.
Despite the loss, Izzo’s achievements in his sixth season have changed the face of college basketball and given Spartan fans reason to celebrate.
MSU is no longer second fiddle in Michigan, and the defending national champion Spartans are among an elite group.
Programs like Duke and North Carolina are accustomed to the pressure that comes with the No. 1 ranking, but it’s been more than 20 years since the Spartans sat atop the polls - and it showed.
No. 16 Arizona started the season atop the polls, but have since buckled under the pressure - losing three of its last six en route to an 8-4 record.
No. 3 Duke enjoyed a short reign at the top, but then lost to No. 2 Stanford. The Blue Devils are now 12-1, proving a team needs to remain perfect to stay at the top.
Entering Bloomington, Izzo said being No. 1 was a learning experience. He said the Spartans have lacked a sense of urgency and focus as of the No. 1 ranking.
That lack of urgency came to the foreground once Big Ten play began.
Once against Penn State, the Spartans found themselves trailing 48-37 at halftime for the first time all season. MSU answered with a 61 point second half to win 98-73, but the inconsistency worried Izzo.
In the post-game interview he criticized MSU players for not playing 40 solid minutes of basketball, saying, “That’s not for championship teams, that’s for average teams.”
After Penn State, Izzo addressed the change of expectations.
When he took over before the 1995-96 season, the fans were happy as long as MSU won more than it lost, he said. He added that a bad game every now and then was expected.
Now, nothing but a win is acceptable, he said.
As the three-time defending Big Ten Champions, MSU knows what it’s like to be the marked team in the conference. They also know it’s difficult to get through the conference undefeated.
“I’m not happy to have the pressure off,” senior guard Charlie Bell said. “I enjoyed the pressure that came with the winning streak.”
Under Izzo, MSU is 132-49 (60-26 Big Ten).
The Spartans next three games are at home, where they hold the nation’s longest home-court winning streak at 37 games. It will also be the first time since the Kentucky game on Dec. 16 that MSU will have the support of the Izzone.
Izzo has frequently passed much of the credit for the streak on to MSU’s fans, namely the Izzone.
The Spartans no longer have a No. 1 ranking to share with their fans, but senior forward Andre Hutson still expects great support Wednesday against Northwestern.
“We’re not expecting too much more than what they’ve already given us,” he said. “I don’t really think they can get too much crazier than they’ve been in the past.”
Izzo continues to insist that MSU has much work to do, despite a 12-1 record. Such endless persistence of perfection is a true mark of a champion and a trait that should be admired.
His tactics have earned MSU three Big Ten Championships, two Final Four appearances, one national championship and an overall NCAA tournament record of 12-2, best among active coaches with a minimum of 10 decisions.
Izzo has talked all season about taking the program to the same level as Duke and North Carolina. MSU is on the verge of doing just that.
A repeat Big Ten Championship and return to the Final Four would give MSU the national respect Izzo desires.
