Schuckman: Coaching camaraderie that brought Izzo to town helps create fervor for QU season

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, left, and Quincy University coach Steve Hawkins entertain the crowd with a question-and-answer session during Sunday's tip-off banquet in QU's Pepsi Arena. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Logistically, it didn’t make sense. Tom Izzo didn’t care. Steve Hawkins needed the right person to headline the Quincy University men’s basketball program’s first tip-off banquet, and the Michigan State Hall of Fame coach willingly obliged, despite the whirlwind schedule it created. Izzo boarded a plane from East Lansing, Mich., to Quincy early…

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Photo gallery: QU tip-off banquet draws large crowd to hear Michigan State’s Tom Izzo speak

Michigan State men's basketball coach Tom Izzo, left, signs a copy of the book "Mr. March" for a fan prior to Sunday night's QU men's basketball program's tip-off banquet at Pepsi Arena. | Matt Schuckman photo

QUINCY — Tom Izzo is entertaining. Steve Hawkins is, too. Put the Michigan State and Quincy University men’s basketball coaches on the stage together and time flies with the stories they tell. That’s what took place Sunday night in QU’s Pepsi Arena where Izzo served as the guest speaker at the QU basketball program’s first…

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Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo to speak at QU men’s basketball program’s Tip-Off Banquet

Tom Izzy's teams at Michigan State have won 10 regular-season Big Ten Championships and six Big Ten Tournaments while making eight Final Four appearances. | Photo courtesy of Michigan State University

QUINCY — Hall of Fame college basketball coach Tom Izzo will be the featured speaker during the Quincy University men’s basketball program’s annual Tip-Off Banquet, scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. Sept. 17 in Pepsi Arena on the QU campus. Izzo has been the head coach at Michigan State University since 1995. Izzo was elected to…

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