Michigan State’s Championship Push: Tom Izzo focused on fundamentals, not records

EAST LANSING, Mich. - There are a few basketball things that Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo isn’t comfortable talking about.  He is not comfortable talking about records he has set, especially when they happen at mid-season. His top priority is keeping his team focused and churning toward improvement. Pausing to think about a Tom Izzo record, he fears, could jostle their vision, a bit. Izzo says records - such as breaking Bob Knight’s mark for most Big Ten wins, and the possibility of tying Knight and Purdue’s Ward “Piggy” Lambert for all-time Big Ten Conference championships with 11, if the Spartans finish the job this week - will be nice for him to ponder in retirement. But those things are far from his mind when he’s breaking down film of Iowa.  Michigan State is a 24-5, ranked No. 8, rising as a national basketball curiosity, and on the cusp of another Big Ten title. INSIDE: Izzo's somewhat humorous approach to dealing with historic distractions.