On Sunday, the Michigan State Spartans were able to pull off a close victory over Ohio State, which was disappointing for Buckeyes fans. After the win, however, Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo had plenty of people talking like he normally does.
Ohio State's path to the NCAA Tournament after deflating loss to Michigan State
In this case, though, it was because of the positive words he had for an Ohio State playmaker. Wait, what? That's exactly what happened, as Izzo didn't hold back with his thoughts on Buckeyes' standout Bruce Thornton.
Izzo revealed he had a heartwarming moment with Thornton before the opening whistle, letting him know how much Izzo appreciated what he's done for college hoops. He also had some positive words for him after the game too:
Tom Izzo: "I talked to (Bruce) Thornton before the game, told him it's been an honor and a privilege to coach against him for four years. I said you stayed put. You didn't run and leave like everybody does nowadays. You've been an incredible player. You've been an incredible…
— Jim Comparoni (@JimComparoni) February 22, 2026
Tom Izzo had a heartwarming moment with Ohio State's Bruce Thornton
As you can see from the tweet above, Izzo is a huge fan of Thornton and he thanked him for staying so loyal to Ohio State. As Izzo noted, in today's college basketball world it's easy for a star player to pack his bags and leave for a contender.
Thornton surely could have left Columbus and joined a team in contention of going on a deep NCAA Tournament run, while also getting a handsome payday too. Instead of jumping for greener pastures, he stayed put with Ohio State and always did his best while donning a Buckeyes jersey.
Again, that's not common and it's what makes Thornton such a special player. In the loss to Michigan State over the weekend, the senior finished with a head-turning 32 points. On the campaign, Thornton is averaging 20.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per contest.
With the end of the regular season right around the corner, it's an unfortunate reminder that Thornton's career with Ohio State is going to come to a close soon. He has meant so much to the program and countless people have admired what he's been able to get done. It turns out Izzo is also on the list of those who will be ready to tip their cap once Thornton's college career ends.