Michigan State’s Izzo counts UCLA out at 10

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Michigan State is trying to win its third NCAA basketball title -- the second under Coach Tom Izzo -- which would put the Spartans in good company.

‘John Wooden said to me once after we won the the national championship [in 2000], ‘Welcome to the fraternity of 40,’ ‘ Izzo said. ‘And I sat there and had no clue what he was talking about, and I realized that was the number of guys that had won a national title.’

Said Izzo: ‘If you can win two as a coach, that shrinks it down a lot. But if you win three as a program, it shrinks it down even more. And that would be my ultimate dream for Michigan State.’

Izzo also pointed out, ‘Those of you from California, you, that was just another day in the park. They won, what, 10?’

Tom, if the ‘they’ is UCLA, make that 11, the last being in 1995. But breaking news might take its time getting to East Lansing.

Only UCLA, Kentucky (7), Indiana (5) and North Carolina (4) have won more than three national titles.

--Chris Foster