Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo
Thomas Michael Izzois an American college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success. On April 4, 2016, Izzo was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame...
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth30 January 1955
CityIron Mountain, MI
bothered defense illinois job played pressured prettiest
We weren't the prettiest -- Illinois really pressured us and it bothered us some -- but the defense we played and the job we did, I can't say enough.
best defense guys might trying
I thought Maurice Ager might have had his best all-around game. He was unbelievable in the huddles, he was trying to get other guys shots, he made some passes, he made some shots, and his defense was the best it's been.
defense good played shot
We still played good defense and pretty good offense. We shot 50%, 40-something from three.
ball bright defense half played second turned
There were some bright spots. I think in the second half we played better. Our defense was better. They turned the ball over and we scored a lot on that.
against complex defense good helped offense prep week
Our defense was very, very good against a very complex offense at times. A week prep for that offense helped us.
anybody becomes carries far guys helps keeping mental mentally michigan state strain time
When you play that many (ranked teams) in a row, it becomes a mental strain as far as keeping your guys up. I think it helps that it's the Michigan game. I think our guys will be up for that. If there was going to be a time when they mentally let down a little bit, I don't see it being this week. Emotionally, it's Michigan-Michigan State and that carries more than anybody we play, let's be honest.
early good great played
We didn't play great but we played good enough to win. This was a step. How big a step? It's too early to tell.
free good job
We did a pretty good job on a lot of guys, just free throws, free throws, free throws.
consider instead next recruiting select
When our recruiting changes, when we get to select instead of recruit, then I'll consider us in the next echelon.
build chance check degree football helmet places pro teams trying wear whatever
We're trying to check with all the pro teams and different places on what we can build him. If he's able to wear a football helmet or whatever we got to do, we'll do it. We are going to the Nth degree to find out anything we can find out that would give us a better chance to get him back quickly.
afraid foul guys half point sync
We just weren't in sync half the night, with guys out in foul trouble. It got to the point they were afraid to drive, afraid to do anything.
sick talk thinking
Why do we have to talk about it? ... I get sick just thinking about it.
beat games kid win
We didn't get beat by some chopped-liver team. I mean, don't kid yourself: They're going to win a lot of games -- a lot of games.
drew harder
I don't think I can be harder on Drew than Drew is on Drew.