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
along beating capable cut helped indiana iowa michigan six state teams themselves week winning work
I've said all along there were six teams capable of winning the Big Ten, and that hasn't changed. Iowa has its work cut out for it, but they've helped themselves a lot this week winning at Indiana and beating Michigan State at home.
bench great scoring teams
We don't have a great bench ? I told you that in September. And we don't have a great scoring bench. But there's a lot of teams that don't have great benches.
beat best bruce defensive hurt missed pick shooting shots stay streak teams tried
You have to pick your poison. We just tried to stay up on the shooters and not sag as much on the inside. Dials did hurt us, but he didn't beat us. On that day, they missed some shots that I think were contested. And I think they missed some shots that weren't. They weren't on a hot streak like they are now. They were still shooting well. But, lately, they've been on just a barrage. Bruce (Weber) has one of the best defensive teams in the league, and if they can do that to Illinois, that's scary.
boat games good lose next six team teams win
We've got a good enough team to win the next six games and we've got a good enough team to lose the next six games and I think a lot of teams are in that boat in this league.
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.
eight exposure great help league respect run talked team teams ten win
It's great to have our league being talked about. Every team in the league is making some strides. I still think eight teams can win the Big Ten championship and in the long run that's going to help our recruiting, our exposure and the respect for our league.
coming exciting few good great heck league lose negative quick run talked teams time tough
It's great to have our league being talked about and see that we're making some strides. It's an exciting time, yet it's a tough time because so many good teams are coming up. You can get on a heck of a run in a negative way pretty quick if you lose a few games.
affect certain coaches eventually fired hired huge minus ncaa plus rule teams
It will never even out because you never know which years certain teams are good, and that's nobody's fault, not the Big Ten, not the coaches, not anyone. But when coaches are hired and fired on it, and when eventually you're going to be seeded in the NCAA Tournament, a real huge plus or a rule huge minus can affect a lot of teams.
athletic biggest chance front gives maybe played score size team teams
They are maybe the biggest team in size on that front line, but I think it gives us a chance to play more people. They're not as athletic up front. They're don't score as much up front as some of the teams we've played recently.
bottom conference eight fight four gonna losses maybe others race round scheduling strongest teams ten top win
I said that there could be eight teams vie for the championship. I think scheduling (the Big Ten doesn't play a round robin, so some teams play others just once) is gonna play a part in everything. I still think our conference could fight to be the strongest in the country. When you look top to bottom at the conference race this year, four losses could win it, maybe more.
home monstrous realize teams ten whether whoever
I think we all realize that we're all pretty even (in the conference), and whoever comes to play, there could be monstrous swings, whether you're home or away. There aren't many teams right now in the Big Ten that aren't in must-win situations.
based carry conference hurts image looked marquee strength teams three top total
I always think it hurts it some, and I don't think it's fair. If your top two or three teams don't carry that flag, I think the conference is looked down upon. I think the image of the conference is based more on the marquee teams; the strength of the conference is based more on the total teams. You would think they should go together, but I don't think they do.
adjust adjusting anyone care coach defensive gonna liked people perceived start teams tried wants worst
This was one of the worst defensive teams I've had. I tried to adjust to people. People are gonna start adjusting to me. ... I don't think anyone wants to be perceived as a jerk. Sometimes a coach wants to be liked. I don't care if I'm liked anymore. We will be tougher.
both good guarantee illinois michigan playing state teams
Illinois and Michigan State are both going to play pretty good defense. They're playing a little better than we are defensively right now, and I guarantee you both teams are going to run.