‘Mr. March’: The philosophy that has Tom Izzo & Michigan State on verge of their ninth Final Four

MichiganStatebasketballheadcoachTomIzzoisknownaroundthecollegebasketballworldas“Mr.March.” Overthe30yearshehasbeenatthehelm,Izzohasrackeduponenationalchampionship,eightFinalFourappearances,and16SweetSixteenruns.TheSpartanshavereachedtheNCAATournamentfor27consecutiveyears—thelongeststandingrecordinthesport.ThisconsistencycomesfromtheidentityIzzoingrainsineveryplayerhebringstoEastLansing,signifiedbytheteam’smotto:“Defend,ReboundandRun.” ItallstartedinhisfirstyearcoachingagainstArkansas.TheRazorbackswerecomingoffachampionship,whileIzzowasstilllearningtheropesafterbeingcalleduptoreplaceretiredMSUheadcoachJudHeathcote. “Ithinkformywholecareer,itstartedwhenwegrabbed26offensivereboundsagainstArkansas,whowasoneofthetoughestteamsinthecountry,”Izzosaid.“Wehavebuiltonthatandstuckwithiteversince.Westilldefendandrebound.” Itwas24offensivereboundsand47totaltobeexact,butthismant