Izzo Sets Record for Most Consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances as Spartans Extend Streak to 25 Straight

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State has earned a bid to its 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament, extending the longest NCAA Tournament streak in Big Ten history.

And in the process, MSU head coach Tom Izzo became the first men's basketball head coach in history to lead his team to 25 straight NCAA Tournament appearances (previous record: Duke's Mike Krzyzewski with 24 in a row from 1996-2019).

25. The MOST consecutive Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament appearances all-time for a head coach. pic.twitter.com/taY3jZnfo5
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 12, 2023

The seventh-seeded Spartans (19-12, 11-8 Big Ten) will face No. 10-seeded USC (22-10, 14-6 Pac-12) in the first round of the East Region on Friday, March 17 at 12:15 p.m. (TV: CBS). The game will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

12:15 PM ET on CBS ❕❕❕ pic.twitter.com/sM8OAIkZg9
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 12, 2023

The winner between the Spartans and Trojans will take on the winner of second-seeded Marquette (28-6) and No. 15-seeded Vermont (23-10) on Sunday, March 19.

Michigan State's streak of 25 straight NCAA Tournaments is not only a Big Ten record, it's also the third-longest in NCAA history (Kansas, 33, 1990-2023; North Carolina, 27, 1975-2001). In addition, MSU's streak is the second-longest active streak in the nation (Kansas, 33).

"For a quarter of a century, Tom Izzo has been synonymous with the NCAA Tournament." pic.twitter.com/ll1PoJ9tSe
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 12, 2023

USC finished tied for second place in the Pac-12 standings with a 14-6 league record.

This will mark the seventh all-time meeting between MSU and USC; the series is currently tied, 3-3. The schools last met in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, as the second-seeded Spartans beat the No. 10 seed Trojans, 74-69, en route to reaching the NCAA Championship game.

Michigan State is making its 36th appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a record of 70-34 (.673) in its previous 35 tournaments. MSU has made 10 trips to the Final Four (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2019) and captured the NCAA Championship in 1979 and 2000. MSU's .673 winning percentage is the eighth-best all-time in NCAA Tournament play, while the program's 70 total victories rank sixth all-time. Michigan State's 10 Final Four appearances are tied for sixth most.

The East Regional is set for March 23 and March 25 (Thursday, Saturday) at Madison Square Garden in New York. The 2023 Final Four will be held at NRG Stadium in Houston on April 1 and April 3 (Saturday, Monday).