Yes, it’s the first of two huge showdowns between Michigan and Michigan State basketball, but it’s also the legendary head coach’s 71st birthday. No, that’s not a typo: Izzo is facing Michigan on his birthday. He’s also played Michigan three times before on his birthday. Incredible research done on these stats by Michigan State Content on X.Tom Izzo is 7-1 on his birthday. https://t.co/d7Xe6xkYHd — Michigan State Content (@msucontent) January 28, 2026The last time these two teams played on his birthday (2024), Michigan State won by 19.