Michigan State takes a 3-point lead after a wide-open 3-pointer by Gabe Brown. (0:22)
For decades now, Tom Izzo has seen the man he considers one of the greatest -- if not the greatest -- of all time lined up opposite of him. Duke versus Michigan State is a must-watch game during the NCAA tournament.
After the Spartans barely got by Davidson on Friday night, Izzo could finally say that he would get one more chance to beat Duke.
Izzo dubbed it a great day for college basketball because of the sixth NCAA tournament meeting between him and Krzyzewski.
It will be the most common head-coaching match-up in the history of the tournament, replacing the five matches between Roy Williams and Bill Self.
I didn't want to dream of the match-up, because you get a chance to play against a great, like Michael Jordan, one more time. It has not been given. It has been earned.
I will try my hardest to see if we can get a few more, one more, on the positive side of that thing, but every time we have played it, I looked forward to it.
In the NCAA tournament and the regular season, Izzo and Krzyzewski have matched up many times. In his career, Izzo is 3-12 against Krzyzewski, and 2-2 in the NCAA tournament. The last time they met was in the Final Four, when Michigan State beat Duke.
The two coaches have combined for over 150 NCAA tournament wins, with Krzyzewski winning 98 times and Izzo 53 times. They are tied for the most consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament with 24. They are two of the best coaches in the history of the tournament, with Krzyzewski first at.765 and Izzo third at.706.
Duke has been the model of consistency over the years. He calls him the class of the class.
I think Mike has done more for our profession than just basketball. He has been the model, Izzo said. He has been the model of consistency. When I got the job and won the national championship in five years, I told him to come back in 10 years and then 15 because people were going to canonize him.
It's the ultimate respect you give a person, if he can consistently be knocking on the door year after year.
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