How many wins for Tom Izzo to break Bob Knight's Big Ten win record?

Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo is close to making history in the Big Ten as the seventh-ranked Spartans lead the conference and have won 13 consecutive games. However, he still has some games to win before breaking Bob Knight's Big Ten win record.

So, here's what to know about the Hall of Famer and 2000 national champion's journey to achieving the remarkable milestone.

Tom Izzo is two games shy of breaking Bob Knight's Big Ten win record

Tom Izzo, in his 30th season at Michigan State, will need to win two games to break legendary Indiana coach Bob Knight's record of 353 Big Ten victories.

Izzo has 352 conference victories after leading Michigan State to a 73-51 victory Saturday over visiting Minnesota on Tuesday night.

He will tie Knight's record if the Spartans (18-2, 9-0) win at USC (12-8, 4-5) on Saturday and surpass the record if his team also beats UCLA (15-6, 6-4) on the road on Tuesday.

Tom Izzo reacts to potentially breaking Bob Knight's Big Ten win record

Michigan State's Tom Izzo is on the verge of making history in the Big Ten, but he has chosen to remain humble about it. In a chat with Fox Sports published on Friday, Izzo said he would be honored to be considered at the same level as legendary Indiana coach Bob Knight.

"You know, I've never really thought about it, and I'm not just saying that with humility," Izzo said. "When I was coming up in this profession, it was Bob Knight, (Georgetown's) John Thompson and (Purdue's) Gene Keady that you idolized.

"To be in the same breath with a guy like that? Bob was great to me, and I have so much respect and admiration for him and what he's done."

Izzo also talked about the shift in eras. Knight, who died in November 2023, coached Indiana from 1971-2000, winning three national titles. He also coached Army for six seasons and finished with seven seasons at Texas Tech (2001-08).

"I look at it in a variety of ways," he said. "For starters, we play more conference games now than they used to, and, secondly, I've spent one more year at my school than he did. If I'm lucky enough to accomplish it, it's a great accomplishment.

"But all of these records are different now because there's nothing that's exactly alike, but I guess I realize how lucky I am to have coached the number of guys that won games for me because, believe it or not, I didn't win a game. I didn't make a shot nor did I assist on one. And they've done an unbelievable job for me, and now we've put ourselves in a position where, who knows, it could happen or it could not happen."

Michigan State has been red hot, with at least eight different players leading the team in scoring in games this season.