Tom Izzo is appreciative of the experience his team gained with the latest scrimmage.

On Sunday, multiple college basketball teams across the country played in scrimmages to help earn money for Maui wildfires. KU and Illinois squared off in Champaign, while Michigan State and Tennessee played.

The matchup between the Spartans and the Volunteers came down to the very end as Tennessee won the game, 89-88. Before the game, Izzo got to talk to the team about being able to play for more than just yourself.

As for the game itself, it was a classic though the Spartans ultimately lost. The crowd was out in full force, as the game was sold out and sounded like a huge B1G matchup in February. While the team eventually lost, Izzo said this was a great opportunity and will pay dividends for his team.

“It was such a good thing to play this game,” Izzo said. “You never feel good when you don’t win.”

The head coach also made a joke about putting himself through such an intense matchup in October. He was also left frustrated by a large number of turnovers from the Spartans.

While it was a fun game, this game doesn’t go on the record. The regular season tips off in just a few days as Michigan State will host James Madison on November 6.