To be fair to Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, there aren't as many Alan Andersons and Shannon Browns across college basketball as there once were. So when Izzo butchered the names of Kasparas Jakucionis,

As No. 14 Michigan State basketball heads to Northwestern atop the Big Ten, Tom Izzo is unsure of what to expect in the unpredictable conference race.

As long as Tom Izzo is the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans, they’re not a team that should be overlooked.

While MSU’s win over Illinois was huge, Purdue’s win over Oregon was even more impressive, as the Boilermakers took down the Ducks on the road. Without a loss to the scrappy Penn State Nittany Lions, that win would have put them in the No. 1 spot.

Despite being on a seven-game win streak and 3-0 in Big Ten play, Tom Izzo sees areas where No. 14 Michigan State basketball must improve in a hurry.

The Spartans' win over Illinois bought breathing room against one of the Big Ten's most dangerous title contenders.

No. 12 Michigan State was able to win its 40-minute battle with No. 19 Illinois on Saturday. Watch Spartans coach Tom Izzo's postgame presser here.

Tom Izzo sees No. 12 Michigan State basketball getting tougher after beating No. 20 Illinois on Sunday, but also knows so will the Spartans' schedule.