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
eight evenings george inside kicked mason minutes nine percent second shot took
I think you have to give George Mason a lot of credit. They took it to us early, kicked our butts inside and shot 70 percent on us with eight or nine minutes to go in the second half. ... I've got to say that in my nine years, this is one of the more disappointing evenings I've had in this job.
five guys helped inside post second shots simplified took
I think the first five shots we took were 3s, but our inside guys weren't doing the things (we needed). In the second half, we simplified it, (we asked) the guys in the post to be passers and pickers, and that probably helped us some.
create deal guys handling hopefully inside issues kids next outside preach pressure time year
I always preach to my kids that outside issues create inside problems. Pressure that you get at this time of year - you're a senior, you've got to play well to hopefully play at the next level. You just have to deal with it. I look at those guys right now, and they're not handling it as well as they did earlier.
anybody apples athlete certain creates fill guard guys inside player problems reason replace type versatile
The only reason I'd say no to that is because it's the type of player he is. We have other guys that can fill in in certain spots, but it's the athlete, it's the versatile 6-6, 6-7 athlete that can guard inside guys and guards, and that's where it creates some problems for us. It's not really replacing apples to apples. Anybody else that we replace him with is a completely different kind of athlete.
almost check handled inside
We just did not check defensively. They really just went at us inside and it was almost a joke. We've never been handled like that inside.
comparison definitely depth experience inside key last outside people worse
I feel better that our key people are very confident, very stable. I feel worse that we definitely don't have the depth. We have more depth inside than we had last year, but no experience. And we have no experience or depth inside or outside in comparison to what we lost.
ball cover floor grew improved inside loved players putting shooting starting three tough
He's one of the more improved players in the league. I loved him as a freshman. Now he's putting the ball on the floor and shooting threes. He's a tough cover because he grew up an inside four-man and is starting to be a three man. He can do both.
handled inside kicked team tonight took tougher
The disappointing thing is that they took it at us early, kicked our butts inside. We've never been handled like that inside . . . They were the tougher team tonight and that made the difference.
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.