"I’ve had six or seven presidents and (athletic directors), I think 18 assistant coaches and trainers and different people. They’re all a part of these things," Izzo said after the win. "But the greatest one for me — I was impressed with the crowd tonight. I think there were 6,600,000-something people that helped me win 354 games. That’s what I think is building a program. I’m proud of that."

The win over Illinois didn’t come easy. Much of the first 20 minutes consisted of a stagnant Michigan State team that simply wasn’t on the same level of play as Illinois. However, junior forward Jaxon Kohler pulled the Spartans out of the ditch and brought the side to a four-point deficit at the half, with his 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting and three rebounds. The second half went back and forth until six minutes left. MSU pulled ahead, and went on a 12-2 scoring run, with Illinois only making two of its last 17 attempts. The Spartans ultimately controlled the final minutes for a 14-point victory.

This MSU team has set itself apart from many of Izzo’s past squads. The Spartans became the first Izzo-led team to go undefeated in both December and January, racing to a 20-5 start—an achievement few of his teams have matched. They embody their "Strength in Numbers" motto, with balanced contributions and few games dominated by a single player.

"If I could be in the same breath with (Knight) on that, that’s cool for me. I had great respect for him as a coach, he helped me a lot in my younger days as a head coach," Izzo said. "So I’m hoping he, Jud (Heathcote), Gus (Ganakas) and my dad are having a beer. My dad, I’m sure he’s proud, but it’s the players, it’s the fans, it’s the presidents, it’s the ADs. It’s the people that made this possible for me to have a chance to accomplish something like that."

Before Saturday’s game, Izzo reflected on decades-long memories of Bob Knight, including seeing Jud Heathcote shake Bob’s hand while Izzo was still the assistant, as well as when Izzo and Knight met before the first matchup between the two, where the Spartans ultimately beat Indiana 65-60. 

"(I remember him) sneaking up on me in my first game, telling me how bad the officials were going to be," Izzo said. "He did it right in front of the officials, and the four of them laughed. I was scared to death."

Izzo also mentioned that after Izzo and MSU beat Knight and the Hoosiers during the 1999-2000 season, Knight said MSU was "good enough to win the championship." Knight was ultimately right, as the Spartans went on to win their only NCAA championship under Izzo.

"He won three championships. I’d turn that in for the record any day," Izzo said after the win. "Bob was the standard."

This win comes at a crucial time for the Spartans. After dropping two games in Los Angeles to USC and UCLA to start February play, they dipped in the polls and the togetherness and groove they’ve had since the Maui Invitational in November. Seeking a form of resurgence, the Spartans beat Oregon at home in a second-half takeover but lost to Indiana at home the following Tuesday, their first of the season, in a match faltered by cold three-point shooting, in what would’ve been a full-circle moment for Izzo to break the record.

"I can’t think of a better way to bounce back than to win here," Izzo said. "What a win for us."

MSU returns to Breslin Center to host Purdue on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. The game will stream exclusively on Peacock.