Skip to content

Ad Disclosure

Tom Izzo shares appreciation for Dick Vitale ahead of Champions Classic game against Kentucky

Eric Woods

By Eric Woods

Published:

Michigan is set to face off against No. 4 Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic tonight at 7 p.m. EST. The Spartans are a clear underdog in the matchup, but after a close bout with No. 2 Gonzaga, it is not looking like they will bow down to the task at hand.

On the call for tonight is legendary college basketball announcer Dick Vitale, whose voice has been a staple of the sport for the past 40 years. “Dickie V” has been the voice of many of some of the greatest moments in the sport.

Vitale, however, has been battling health issues and shut down for the remainder of last season in late January. Luckily, he has returned for this season, and Spartan head coach Tom Izzo showed his appreciation for the commentator ahead of tonight’s game.

“I do appreciate it, as crazy as [Vitale] gets sometimes,” Izzo said. “His Passion for the sport is off the charts. It’ll be good to see him, and I gotta warn my guys ahead of time that in the layup line he might be talking to them—doing what Dick does. I never look at anything he does as phony.”

Eric Woods