Tom Izzo spoke with total confidence.

“It was one of the great comebacks. It was one of the great wins,” Izzo said after the team’s comeback win over Oregon on Saturday, February 8. “The crowd was electric. If it’s not one of the best wins at home, it’s a top five’er.”

This was a game Michigan State basketball really needed — coming off two tough losses in Los Angeles, with Izzo on the brink of making history and his former players in town for a reunion. Everything changed in an instant.

Down by 14 at halftime against Oregon, Michigan State staged an incredible comeback, winning 86-74, which Izzo called a “memory-making moment.” It was a Saturday game where the ninth-ranked Spartans’ current talent met their gritty history.

MSU and Tom Izzo Needed This Win

This win felt necessary and brought back memories of the days of the Flintstones and Izzo’s early coaching years when MSU snagged four straight Big Ten titles and made three Final Four appearances from 1999-2001. The Breslin Center buzzed with the kind of energy that gives home teams a real edge against visitors.

It was also perfect timing for the Spartans to honor Izzo’s 2000 national championship team, which still sets the standard for what he expects from his players three decades into his coaching career.

MSU (19-4, 10-2 Big Ten) played without point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and big guy Xavier Booker, both out sick. Izzo looked to Jason Richardson’s son, who was a star on that championship team, to help the Spartans avoid a third straight loss after the Ducks (16-8, 5-8) led 50-36 at halftime.

Freshman Jase Richardson got his first start in place of Fears. When he took over at point guard after the break, switching with Tre Holloman, Richardson had a phenomenal performance that Oregon just couldn’t handle.

He scored 18 of his career-high 29 points in the second half, mixing Mateen Cleaves’ aggressive style with Morris Peterson’s long-range shooting and Charlie Bell’s rebounding. The 6-foot-3 player even showed off some of his dad’s amazing jumping skills by blocking a Jadrian Tracey jumper.

While he was on the bench for a bit, Richardson — who played nearly 35 minutes — soaked up plenty of advice from the 2000 champions.

“Having them behind coach, and just the energy and support that they showed, was amazing,” Richardson said. He also had a season high 13 shots, making nine, and getting four rebounds. “Mateen was just telling me just try to be stay aggressive, be aggressive, and try to make plays for my team.”

Like Father, Like Son

Jason Richardson was a proud father watching his son play. Why wouldn’t he be? The game probably brought back some memories form his time at MSU and getting that National Championship back in 2000.

Jase felt good, too.

“It was amazing, the feeling, especially when you’re down 14 at the half,” Jase Richardson said to the press after the game. “To come back and win the game, to see the national championship team all excited coming into the locker room, it was just all a joy. Seeing my dad smile like that, I knew I made him proud. It was a really special moment.”