Izzo a finalist for Basketball Hall of Fame

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was named Friday as a finalist for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Izzo was one of 14 finalists named during a press conference in Toronto as part of the NBA All-Star weekend. He was joined on the list by former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan.

Each finalist needs 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee, which includes Hall of Famers, basketball executives, media members and other contributors to the game, for election into the Hall of Fame.

The 2016 class will be announced in Houston on April 6, the same day as the national championship game. The enshrinement ceremony is Sept. 9 at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass.

Izzo has more than 500 wins, the 2000 national title and seven Final Four appearances to his credit. Now in his 21st season leading the Spartans, Izzo also has won seven Big Ten championships as well as four Big Ten tournament titles. His 515 victories are the second-most all-time for a Big Ten coach.

HALL OF FAME FINALISTS

Leta Andrews (coach)

Charles “Lefty” Driesell (coach)

Darell Garretson (referee)

Robert Hughes (coach)

Allen Iverson (player)

Tom Izzo (coach)

Kevin Johnson (player)

Muffet McGraw (coach)

John McLendon (coach)

Yao Ming (player)

Shaquille O'Neal (player)

Bo Ryan (coach)

Eddie Sutton (coach)

Sheryl Swoopes (player)

Wayland Baptist University (team)