IZZO LEADS BEILEIN IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES

(originally published on 2-2-15)

Have we heard enough about John Beilein? We get it, he's a good coach, and Michigan has been doing better recently since he's been there, not counting his first few seasons. But the sports media seems to keep selling him as a demi-god of the hardwood, some sort of John Wooden Junior working his magic like none before him.

Sound a little heavy? I think so. Bully for Beilein, but let's talk about the record.

Tom Izzo has extended his lead over John Beilein in head-to-head competition after winning on Sunday. Izzo now leads 9-7, after Beilein pulled into a tie last year. Since John Beilein took over in Ann Arbor:

• Tom Izzo leads in games won (9-7)
• Izzo's teams lead in points scored (+78 points)
• Izzo has never trailed Beilein in head-to-head wins.

Izzo also has more wins at the B1G Men's Basketball Tournament than any coach in conference history. Izzo has 22 victories in the conference tournament. Michigan Coach John Beilein has eight to his credit. Izzo has won four conference tournament trophies, while Beilein has zero tournament titles as Wolverines Head Coach. (Izzo is undefeated in conference championship games at 4-0.)

Beilein has all those victories from smaller schools in the past, contributing to his apparently gaudy lifetime win total. (He must feel right at home in a place that counts any win from any century as equal.) The sports media wants you to be impressed. Let's look at it another way.

Beilein has been to the Big Dance fewer times

than Izzo has been to the Sweet Sixteen.

So it was a close game, yet another double-digit victory for Michigan State. All part of Beilein's genius, I suppose...

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