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
believed came case game iowa learn level point shots taking took
We have to learn how to play with the lead, and the Iowa game was a case in point where we didn't play with the lead. (The players) came into our huddle, we were up 15-4, and they really believed (Iowa) was tired. It was good: 'Let's get 'em now coach, let's do this, let's do that.' But I think they took that to another level and they started taking shots too early.
brown felt stretch took
We had one stretch where we felt we were getting clobbered in there and Dee Brown took over. A combination of the two is not a pretty sight.
early learned played punches took tough
We've played in some tough places, we've been through a gambit of situations, ... I think for the most part we've learned something from all the punches we took early in the year.
coming courage kids people seen took
It took courage for these kids coming off something like that. If you could have seen how people were tightening up after Saturday's game. It's scary.
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.
ball exploded good great looked played player took
I think that was a great sign. Maurice looked like he wanted the ball. He took pretty good shots; he was confident. He exploded with the ball on one drive, it was unbelievable. ... Maurice Ager played like the All-American player he is.
becoming control game growing means player speaks special thrives took volumes
He kind of thrives on pressure, he kind of thrives on big moments. He took control of the game, under control. And that speaks volumes of a player when he can take control of game and do it under control. I think that means the guy's really growing up and becoming a special player.
game last took
We took more threes in this game than in the last two combined.
advantage bit gave move time took
I know how to move my body. He made a little bit of a mistake, and I took advantage of it. He gave me a little time to take it, and I took it.
brought early kicked took
The disappointing thing is they took it at us early and kicked our butts inside. I'm disappointed, saddened. On this night, they brought it and we didn't.
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.
playing
We were out of energy. Playing Thursday-Saturday is a joke.
address luxury
We will not have that luxury this year. But we will address it in other ways.