Tom Izzo’s name will go down next to one of his idols.

With Saturday’s 79-65 win over Illinois, the Michigan State coach notched his 354th career Big Ten win. Izzo passed former Indiana coach Bob Knight, the coach he posted his first career win against more than 29 years ago.

“There’s some of me that says Bobby Knight deserves to have it,” Izzo said. “You know, I coached another year than him, I played probably more conference games than him. But if I could be in the same breath with him on that, that’s cool for me.”

Izzo has been humble about the record for weeks, more inclined to focus on the season in which his Spartans (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten) are worried about making history in March than during the regular season. He even joked that he’d trade the record back to the late Knight for his national championships, two more than Izzo’s lone 2000 title. But the milestone is a significant achievement for the face of Michigan State basketball and arguably the university as a whole.

In his 30 years leading Michigan State, Izzo remembers seeing other coaches he respected earn these historic moments. He’s been on the other side of them himself, like when Mike Krzyzewski set the Division I wins record against the Spartans at Madison Square Garden in 2011. And Izzo has experienced plenty of milestones already, like his 700th win last season.

This time, though, was different, and one could see it as Izzo walked through the handshake line taking it all in. It crackled under his voice as he started his press conference, his hair wet from players dousing him in water in celebration in the locker room.

“He’s put so much into this program,” forward Coen Carr said.

“So to be able to get that record, it just means a lot to us. And he’s not gonna say it right now, but down the line it’s gonna mean a lot to him for sure.”

Izzo might be singular in the Big Ten record books now, but he swears he didn’t do it alone.

“I think I’ve had 148 players that I’ve coached that have been part of this 350-some wins,” Izzo said. “I’ve had six and seven presidents and ADs. I’ve had, I think, 18 assistant coaches and trainers and different people. I mean, they’re all part of this thing.”

That included the 16 players, five coaches and various other staff who helped Izzo earn Big Ten win No. 354. It came as a rousing comeback in classic Izzo fashion — his team outrebounded the nation’s top rebounding team and didn’t allow a point in the final 8:29, all while the road crowd booed him. Of course, this is how Tom Izzo’s name would be etched in history.

Izzo also credits part of the record to the fans and crowds who have watched his program during his career, a number he estimates around 6,600,000. The actual number is all but impossible to calculate given visiting fans, repeat visitors and the like. But it’s enough to get the idea — Izzo is nothing if not thankful.

“That’s what I think is building a program,” Izzo said. “And I’m proud of that.”

It’s that legacy — a program-builder more than just a winner — that Izzo cares about. It’s also what people notice about him. Illinois coach Brad Underwood reminisced postgame about seeing former Michigan State point guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. kiss the Spartans logo on the Breslin Center floor when he visited East Lansing for senior day his first year with the Illini. It’s the model for how he want to build his own program, though Saturday’s win is sure to be discussed next time he calls up Izzo.

“Well, it stinks. Now I gotta listen to his ass every time I talk to him at two o’clock in the morning,” Underwood said. “You knew you were going to get their best after their game the other night. And when people do it the right way, and they care about people, that’s genuine and it’s honest, and it’s for the well being of that person. You know, Tom and I come from a generation where that’s why we got into this business. It wasn’t always about winning — yes, we’re competitive — but it was about seeing young people grow.”

Back in the day, it was Knight having those moments with a young Izzo. Watching Knight shake his mentor Jud Heathcote’s hand back when he was an assistant.

His first ever Big Ten win Jan. 4, 1996.

He recalled Knight bringing him into his office in 2000 to give what would become the Spartans’ national championship team his blessing.

Now, Izzo has passed Knight, and at 70 years old he’s still got more to go.

“I had great respect for him as a coach, and he helped me a lot in my younger days as a head coach,” Izzo said.

“So I’m hoping he and Jud and Gus (Ganakas) and my dad are having a beer, and Jud telling Bob that I didn’t play zone, and Bob telling Jud something else, and Gus just being happy as 10 men, because that was Gus. My dad, I’m sure he’s proud.

“But it’s the players, guys, it’s the fans, it’s the presidents, it’s the AD, it’s the people that all make this possible for me to have a chance to accomplish something like that.

“And I didn’t shoot, didn’t dribble — they did it for me — and I’m so appreciative of that.”