'Working hard is fun' – and you can see Michigan State is starting to believe it
Behind the scenes of MSU's 92-67 win over NDSU - Izzo’s message, Fears’ command, and a team rediscovering its identity
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Tom Izzo didn’t begin with the margin, even though Michigan State’s 92–67 win over North Dakota State offered plenty of places to start. He didn’t lead with the shooting numbers, or the assist total, or even the balance across the lineup.
He went somewhere more foundational, something he has been repeating, and at times searching for his team to fully embrace.
“Working hard is fun,” Izzo said. “You just got to realize it.”
It is a simple idea, but not an easy one, especially in March, when pressure can tighten everything – possessions, rotations, decisions. And yet, for long stretches Thursday, Michigan State played with a looseness that didn’t come from a lack of urgency, but from a shared understanding of what it needed to be.
The Spartans shot 33-for-56 from the field, 10-for-20 from three, and assisted on 26 of their 33 made field goals. They were plus-12 on the glass, scored efficiently in transition, and received meaningful contributions throughout the roster.
“We did the job,” Izzo said. “When you shoot it well from the field, shoot it well from the three and shoot 89 percent from the line… plus-12 (rebounding), so it was a good win for us.”
But the way it happened mattered more than the numbers themselves.
It looked like a team starting to understand its identity.
The week that reset the tone
Izzo didn’t dismiss what came before this game. The UCLA performance in the Big Ten Tournament lingered, not because of the opponent, but because of what he believed it revealed.
“I heard comments like maybe we overlooked them,” he said. “That made practices a little more fun.”
That phrase, in his program, signals something specific – more accountability, more edge, more honesty. It also reflects a moment when a coach looks inward as much as he looks outward.
“I took the blame,” Izzo said. “I didn’t think we did as good a job defensively… I had to look in the mirror and say I wasn’t pushing them as hard maybe.”
How did he make the change happen, you might ask. Was it something special he pulled out of his bag of tricks? Nope.
