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
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.
continued guys hat losing means says team tough
They're all guys who made significant improvements, and that means they're getting well-coached. I take my hat off to Matt. He was put in a tough situation, losing all those guys early, and that team has continued to improve, and that says it all.
guys higher rated signed
He was probably rated higher than some guys we signed in basketball.
bothered coming effort gave guys illinois last pressured proud
I'm really proud of the effort these guys gave coming off last night. We weren't the prettiest. Illinois pressured us and it bothered us some.
adjusting coaching excuses game good guys job situations team tired whether
I can't make any excuses up. As a coaching staff, we have not done a good enough job of adjusting to the things we need to adjust to, whether it be the schedule, whether it be an injury, whether it be end-of-the game situations with guys tired or not tired. We've got to find a way to do a better job, because we're a good enough team to get it done.
cover decided guys needed
I didn't think I'd have to go to that four-guard lineup as much as we did. We just couldn't cover with our big guys some things. We decided to go with it, but we just needed a little more play.
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.
begin brought coming covered felt games guard guards guy guys loss maybe people physical team versatile
It's a big loss for us, especially in the games we had coming up, because we felt he was a guy who could have covered a lot of people on the perimeter or inside. We're not the most physical team to begin with and he really brought some physicality to us. But maybe more importantly, I think he's a versatile guy who can guard guards on the perimeter, and he can guard big guys inside. We just don't have many guys who are able to do that.
basketball good guys horrendous schedule taken talented team win
I still think this team is good enough to win some big games. This is a talented basketball team with good guys that has had a horrendous schedule and it's taken its toll.
felt guys older played players
I'm really excited. A lot of our older players were here. I felt like the old guys were back and we played our old style.
guys responsibility
I feel all of the responsibility for that. I did not get as much out of these guys as they had to give.
along areas bond fun guys
They get along so well together, ... It's kind of fun to see different guys from different areas and different colors, and there's a bond there.
guys improvement sign
Their guys have made significant improvement. That's a sign that they are being well coached.
bad foul guys half night played sync ways win
It was just too bad because I think we played well enough in a lot of ways to win the game, but we just couldn't get in sync half the night with guys out with foul trouble.