EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Michigan State basketball head coach Tom Izzo is prepping the Spartans for a hard matchup against the number one team in the nation, Purdue.

For the first time since 2004, the Big 10 Conference has only one team ranked in the AP Top 25. That team is top-ranked Purdue, who happens to be MSU’s next opponent.

Izzo spoke with the Coaches Show about his anticipation to take on Purdue at Mackey Arena, a historically tough place to play for MSU. The Spartans haven’t won there since the 2013-14 season.

He said the Boilermakers home turf makes for a difficult game thanks to the strength of the program and the dedication of the Purdue fans.

“Mackey’s a little different. The whole place is bleachers. You can put 14,000 in a much more confined area. That’s what make it so amazing. The court is a little bit up on a stage and people are on you. It’s an awesome place,” Izzo said.

Izzo also shared some of his memories of former Purdue head coach Gene Keady, who coached the Boilermakers basketball squad from 1980 to 2005 during Izzo’s tenure as an assistant to Jud Heathcote.

“We came up the same way. We both had mentors that were insane and that was good,” Izzo said.

You can check out the full interview with Izzo in the video player above