Tom Izzo might have a method to his madness.
In the second half of Michigan State’s first-round NCAA Tournament win over USC, the Spartans head coach went berserk over the officiating, and snapped a whiteboard for good measure.
“We are down one whiteboard, if we are counting on the sidelines,” CBS sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl informed viewers.
“Snapped right with his bare hands after a heated conversation with the official.”
The fiery Izzo also delivered a tirade to his Spartans.
Izzo’s outburst seems to have worked; Michigan State was up 51-47 at the time CBS showed the temper tantrum.
In the closing minutes, Michigan State pulled away, beating USC 72-62.
Izzo’s outburst shouldn’t be surprised, as the coach recoiled at being described as a “teddy bear” during his pre-tournament press conference after a softer, calmer side of the coach emerged as he helped the Michigan State community recover from a campus shooting on Feb. 13.
“When I say stay focused and doing the right job, I look in the mirror a lot,” he said. “And sometimes I don’t like what I see in me. And I let the players know that.
“So maybe the terror side will come out again, because I think — I had a parent tell me something two days ago that I really enjoyed: Coach my kid, the hell with the outside stuff. Coach my kid.
“So I’m coaching them. So hopefully I bring that with me this weekend and hopefully our team responds.”
Michigan State advances to play the winner of Marquette versus Vermont on Sunday in Columbus.