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
brutal juniors playing seniors tough
It is a brutal schedule, and if you've been through everybody's, as I've done, it's not even close. But so be it. If there's one thing these seniors and juniors are used to, it's playing tough schedules.
couple four games gonna illinois last lost playing promise ready
You know me, I don't feel like we're ready, but I do think we can get ready in four days. Illinois is playing awfully well, they haven't lost many games in the last couple years, but we're gonna be ready on Thursday, I can promise you that.
bag basketball best defensive honest mixed news nuts optimistic playing team
The best news for me is we are playing the best defensive basketball we've played. I'm very optimistic because I do like what this team has to offer. ... (But) I think we're a mixed bag of nuts right now, to be honest with you.
anxious bad excitement home looking playing start worried
Now you start playing for the excitement of it. I'm not worried about it. I'm anxious to get home and start looking at some film and just see how bad I can look in the morning.
afraid confidence consistency couple eight losses lost maybe nobody playing record start
I look at our record and eight losses is more than I'd like to see, but I also look at it like, I haven't lost any confidence in this team. I'm disappointed maybe in the consistency of a couple guys, but I haven't lost confidence in what I think we can still do. ... There's nobody I'm afraid to play, and I just want to start playing better, consistently, ourselves.
break days definitely looking packing planning plans playing red second spring throw
I feel real comfortable that who we are playing and who we could play does not throw up any red flags. I'm looking at it like I'm definitely packing for two days the first weekend, and then I'm not going on spring break the second weekend. There's no plans in the foreseeable future, so I'm planning on playing some basketball.
great guy lose matured played player players playing
You've got a guy like D.J. White, who is not only a great player . . . but he had matured a great deal. You just don't lose players like that and have the same team. I thought Indiana, when we played them, was still playing awfully well.
few late motivating playing position quite season sure ten
This is just as much a must-win for them. They've got to be hungry. They've never been in this position in quite a few years now, this late in the season playing for a Big Ten championship. I'm sure that's going to be motivating for them.
changed complexion foul key leads losses maybe michigan playing serious trouble
In our losses to Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, we've had serious foul trouble at key times. Maybe we've had leads or were playing good, but it changed the complexion of the game.
beat few ohio playing schedule somewhat team ten
They're playing for a Big Ten championship. They haven't done that for a few years now, and they're playing a team that beat them handily. The schedule is somewhat in their favor, somewhat in Ohio State's favor.
break days definitely packing plan playing second spring
I'm definitely packing for two days for the first weekend, and then I'm not going on spring break the second weekend. I plan on playing some basketball.
brings coming games guard guy guys loss physical playing versatile
It's a big loss for us in games coming up. It's disappointing because he was playing better. We're not the most physical team, and he brings a little physicality to us. He's a versatile guy who can guard on the perimeter and guard big guys inside.
bizarre good hung hurt played sort wisconsin
That was a bizarre game. I thought Wisconsin played very well in the first half, and we just sort of hung in the game. I thought it hurt them when Tucker went out, and I thought we did some good things, too.
forced tried
He probably tried to do too much because he was forced into that position.