Tom Izzo and Greg Kampe shared the podium for a joint press conference following their matchup in Detroit
Tom Izzo and Greg Kampe discuss their matchup, the old days, and who really was the naughty one at Little Caesars Arena
DETROIT — The game was over, the score settled, and the handshake line long finished. But inside the postgame press conference room at Little Caesars Arena, something more enduring than a 79–70 Michigan State win over Oakland unfolded — a moment of mutual respect between two Hall of Fame coaches who have spent decades shaping each other’s careers.
As Tom Izzo began his postgame remarks Friday night, the door swung open and Oakland head coach Greg Kampe walked in smiling, interrupting the proceedings with a simple demand: set up another chair. Izzo obliged, pulling Kampe alongside him at the microphones, turning a routine press conference into a shared reflection between friends.
Izzo opened by praising Oakland and, as he always does, Kampe. True to form, the Golden Grizzlies made the night uncomfortable. Oakland led by as many as seven points, and despite multiple opportunities, Michigan State never fully shook them. Izzo said afterward he believes this is one of the toughest teams Kampe has ever coached — and he made clear the annual matchup isn’t going anywhere.
“As long as I’m the head coach at Michigan State,” Izzo said, “we’re going to play Oakland.”
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