Ole Miss HC Chris Beard gives major praise to Michigan State's Tom Izzo ahead of Sweet 16 showdown

Chris Beard's No. 6-seed Ole Miss will face Tom Izzo's No. 2-seed Michigan State in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday. Ahead of the blockbuster showdown, Beard has heaped praise on Izzo and his Spartans.

On Tuesday, Beard appeared on "The Jim Rome Show" to preview his team's Sweet 16 clash. He waxed lyrical on Izzo and likened him to a historical landmark.

"He's Mount Rushmore," Beard said about Izzo. "A'int no doubt about it. Any group of guys you or I could sit around and drink a draft beer today and talk basketball. If somebody doesn't think Tom Izzo is one of the best coaches to ever coach this game. I mean, check please, and get the guy off your table.

"I mean, it is what it is. He's been doing it for years, different staffs, different players, different eras of college basketball now, in this name, image and likeness era. Who's still standing? Coach Izzo."

He added:

"He can adapt while at the same time always being true to what he believes in, playing the game the right way, sharing the ball and playing defense and rebounding. So he's Mount Rushmore.

"Our game is better because he's coaching our game. I hope he coaches forever. College basketball is better. Coaching is better. The profession is better because Tom Izzo is a part of our game."

Izzo has been coaching at MSU since 1995. He won the national title with the Spartans in 2000.

Furthermore, he has won 10 Big Ten regular-season titles and six Big Ten Conference titles with Michigan State. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

How to watch Chris Beard's Ole Miss vs. Tom Izzo's Michigan State? TV schedule and live stream details for Sweet 16 game

NCAA Basketball: Ole Miss HC Chris Beard - Source: Imagn

Fans can watch Chris Beard's Ole Miss vs. Tom Izzo's Michigan State on CBS. The game, which will tip off at 7:09 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, will also be live-streamed on Fubo and Paramount+.

Ole Miss beat UNC in the first round of March Madness before upsetting No. 3-seed Iowa State in the second round. Meanwhile, Michigan State took down Bryant in the first round and got the better of New Mexico in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.