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5 reasons surging Michigan State Spartans will win the 2020 Big Ten Tournament

By Mike Phillips

COLLEGE PARK, MD - FEBRUARY 29: Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans takes a jump shot over Donta Scott #24 of the Maryland Terrapins during a college basketball game at the Xfinity Center on February 29, 2020 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - FEBRUARY 29: Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans takes a jump shot over Donta Scott #24 of the Maryland Terrapins during a college basketball game at the Xfinity Center on February 29, 2020 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 29: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks to Malik Hall #25 during a college basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins at the Xfinity Center on February 29, 2020, in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD – FEBRUARY 29: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans talks to Malik Hall #25 during a college basketball game against the Maryland Terrapins at the Xfinity Center on February 29, 2020, in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

1. Tom Izzo is still a March wizard

The calendar has officially turned to March, which means Tom Izzo is about to start doing his best work. Few coaches in America are better equipped for the pressure of tournament games than Izzo.

Michigan State has made a habit of struggling at points of the regular season only to become a dangerous threat in March. That is all a credit to Izzo, who does an excellent job preparing his teams for the challenges of single-elimination basketball.

Most of the hype surrounding Izzo’s March magic centers around his NCAA Tournament performance, but the Spartans are also extremely successful in the Big Ten Tournament. That was not always the case, with Izzo often treating the event as an annoyance through the 2000s.

That changed in the last decade, with Izzo deciding to put more importance on using the conference tournament as a tune-up for the pressure of the NCAA Tournament. Izzo has turned those tactics into four Big Ten Tournament titles and five finals appearances since 2012, which is extremely impressive.

With John Beilein no longer in the conference, there isn’t a coach with nearly a fraction of the Big Ten Tournament success that Izzo has. That fact alone is the biggest reason Michigan State will be cutting down the nets in Indianapolis on Sunday.

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