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Tom Izzo’s No. 10 jersey to be retired at Northern Michigan

October 4, 2024
Coach Tom Izzo speaks after winning his third consecutive Big Ten regular season championship. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes, 80-69, at the Breslin Student Events Center on March 8, 2020.
Coach Tom Izzo speaks after winning his third consecutive Big Ten regular season championship. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes, 80-69, at the Breslin Student Events Center on March 8, 2020.

MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo will have his No. 10 jersey at Northern Michigan University retired, NMU announced Friday night.

It was announced at MSU Madness by Steve Mariucci, esteemed former NFL head coach and longtime friend of Izzo, on the jumbotron in front of an excited crowd at Breslin Center. 

Michigan State men's basketball will play an exhibition at Northern Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 1 p.m. in the Superior Dome. 

Izzo's jersey will join Ted Rose and Gene Summers in Vandament Arena. 

Immediately after the news was announced, the men’s basketball team alongside Izzo’s family wore white shirts with the number 10 to commemorate his accomplishment. 

"I want to congratulate you for all you’ve done at Northern Michigan and Michigan State," Mariucci said. "You’re the Upper Peninsula’s favorite son."

At Northern Michigan, Izzo was a starter from 1974-76 and a two-time team captain with a 57-47 career record. As a junior, he once notched 14 assists in a game, the fifth-best figure in program history.

In his senior year, Izzo was named Third Team All-American, Second Team All-GLIAC and played 930 minutes, a single-season Northern Michigan record that lasted over 10 years. Throughout his playing career, Izzo scored 367 points.

Izzo then became a Northern Michigan men’s basketball assistant coach from 1979-83 before joining Michigan State men’s basketball in 1983. He was inducted into the Northern Michigan University Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

It remains unclear whether Northern Michigan University will hold a jersey retirement ceremony in the teams' Oct. 13 game.

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