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Michigan State University campus crisis affected head coach Tom Izzo and Spartans men’s basketball team

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, left, talks with forward Jaren Jackson Jr. during the first half of an NCAA tournament second-round game against Syracuse on Sunday in Detroit. (AP photo)

DETROIT — Tom Izzo walked into his final news conference before a game this season and saw Michigan State’s interim president conducting interviews.

The Hall of Fame coach sat down and gazed toward the back of the room, essentially expressionless, as John Engler was with a handful of reporters.

Izzo had plenty on his plate at the time, trying to prepare the third-seeded Spartans for Syracuse. Izzo wasn’t particularly concerned with the conversations Engler was having with a handful of reporters and said he wasn’t bothered by it, figuring he was there to show his support.

But it was another sign, showing the crisis on campus related to Larry Nassar has affected Izzo and his basketball program. And perhaps the next sign played out for all to see in Sunday afternoon when the 11th-seeded Syracuse eliminated Michigan State with a 55-53 win in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

The toll of the turbulent season likely led to Izzo tearing up as he talked about perhaps the toughest season of his career when it seemed set up to potentially end with his second national championship.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts during the first half of an NCAA men's tournament first-round game against Bucknell in Detroit on Friday. (AP photo)

While an ESPN report raised questions about how Izzo and Michigan State football coach handled sexual assault allegations within their program, their faces were on display on a TV set alongside Nassar, a former doctor at the school, who was sentenced to decades in prison for molesting young women and girls.

As part of the fallout, Lou Anna Simon resigned as school president and Mark Hollis, who is very close to Izzo, retired.

Izzo felt compelled to tell his team before a game he wasn’t going anywhere as questions swirled about who might also be caught up in the wake of the scandal.

Instead of being frank at news conferences, Izzo repeatedly said he always cooperated with investigations and always would relating to allegations made against his players.

The usually frank coach appeared to be in a no-win situation, getting criticized for not addressing allegations made in ESPN reporting and knowing he probably wouldn’t have all the answers wanted if he did choose to say more.

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