Tom Izzo gets emotional reflecting on first home game since tragedy

Michigan State’s Tuesday night matchup against Indiana was the program’s first game back at home since the school’s horrific on-campus shooting. The game itself was an exciting contest, which saw the Spartans go on a run in the second half to win 80-65. And after the game, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo was visibly emotional as he reflected back on his thoughts and feelings while standing on the court before the game.

“I was appreciative that I’m at Michigan State,” said Izzo. “I wish I could have ran up to that top row and thanked the people that were there. I just, I did, I just looked around; that’s all I did was look around. And all the bad set times with this job, it’s one of those moments where I just said, boy, I’m a lucky guy. And I said to myself, I hope we can come through for you. That’s what I was thinking.

Izzo and his Spartans achieved what they set out to do, which was to pick up a victory for their home crowd. But most importantly, they helped unify the community around Michigan State, helping to ease some of the pain individuals are going through.

Izzo thanks Indiana for participating in “Spartan Strong” activities

Tuesday night’s matchup between Michigan State and Indiana was less about a basketball game and more about coming together as a community — through basketball.

The Spartan family is still recovering from a deadly campus shooting that killed three Michigan State students and left five others hospitalized with injuries. Students returned to campus this past Monday, and Tuesday’s game was the first mass athletics gathering the university held since the tragedy.

Everyone, including Indiana head coach Mike Woodson, wore shirts donning the phrase ‘Spartan Strong’ to show that he and his Hoosiers stand with Michigan State as they recover from the deadly mass shooting.

“I’d like to thank Mike Woodson and Indiana,” Izzo said after defeating the Hoosiers 80-65. “When you have an event like this and you drag on the pre-game a little bit – he wore his shirt and everything, and his team did – I greatly appreciate it. He sent me a text when it all happened, but to answer the call as he did and then weather through that little bit of a longer pre-game was classy on his part.”