Tom Izzo reiterates he’s not retiring following Syracuse loss: ‘I don’t plan on going anywhere’

By ADAM ZAGORIA

A defiant Tom Izzo reiterated Sunday that he has no retirement plans in the wake of Michigan State’s loss to Syracuse Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

“I don’t plan on going anywhere,” Izzo, 63, said, per ESPN.com. “I’ve got a job to do. I’ve never run from anything in my life. Nothing. I don’t plan on starting now. So, I’ll be here. I took too many bullets this year not to be here. So I’ll be here, and we’ll be back knocking on the door to win a championship. I’m going to make damn sure of that, and I’m going to get the help of my people, my team and my support. I hope I do a better job of handling all the other things.”

Aside from the disappointing finish to the season — many experts had picked the Spartans, the regular-season Big Ten champions, to cut down the nets in San Antonio — it was a hectic season off-the-court, too.

Dickie V, Bilas and Greenberg all picked Michigan State to win it all. pic.twitter.com/mx6xLvPmxn

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) March 19, 2018

Izzo and Michigan State football coach Mark DAntonio were linked to the Larry Nassar sex scandal via an explosive ESPN report that said the University engaged in a pattern of “denial, inaction and information suppression of allegations by officials ranging from campus police to the Spartan athletic department.” Nassar is serving at least 99 years in prison for sexual abuse and child pornography crimes.

The scandal took down University President Lou Ann Simon and athletic director Mark Hollis. 

Travis Walton, a former grad assistant under Izzo, was placed on administrative leave by the Los Angeles Clippers G League team after he was also linked to the scandal.

On top of the Nassar scandal, Michigan State star Miles Bridges was mentioned in the Yahoo report after he was linked to the FBI investigation of bribery in college basketball.

Bridges was briefly ruled ineligible in the wake of the Yahoo report, but then Michigan State applied for reinstatement and Bridges was reinstated on the condition he pay $40 (the value of a dinner) to a charity of his choice.

The 6-foot-6 Bridges is the projected No. 11 pick in the NBA Draft to Charlotte, per ESPN. Jaren Jackson, the 6-11 freshman who managed just 2 points in the game, is the projected No. 3 pick. Neither commented on their NBA Draft plans after the game.

Photo: Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire

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