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
character program promise room tougher toughness weight work
We're going to get back in the weight room to work on toughness and character. I promise we'll be tougher and I promise we'll get this program back to where we all want it.
bring melt people
We bring people from different areas, and they melt into one.
body guard head matter point powerful system
Usually, if the head isn't working, the body dies. It doesn't matter how powerful the body is. And a point guard in our system is the head.
davis game honest paul proud second vowed
I look at the stats and kind of see a different game than I watched. I didn't really like the game I watched, to be honest with you. But the stats say we did some things well. And I was very proud of Maurice Ager and Paul Davis at halftime. They vowed we'd be better defensively in the second half, and we were.
address mentally physically problem proves theory tough tried
I think it proves my theory that you just have to be physically and mentally tough as nails. That's been a problem for us. We've tried to address it, and we're going to address it from here on out.
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.
changing control credit deserves forcing four guy hardly incredible product reasons senior shot staying team ton
He is a product of staying four years. He is having an incredible senior year. He's under control more. He deserves a ton of credit for changing his game. I hardly see him forcing his shot anymore. I think he's more of a team guy this year. I think that's one of the reasons they're better.
biggest figure good great kept losing mind problem schedules team tough within
Our biggest problem was there was no spacing between those tough games. We kept losing and having to play another great team right away. I still think good schedules make you better in the long run. I don't mind losing because that's how you figure out what's wrong, but you have to do it within reason.
problem
I don't see that being a problem right now.
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.
capable current good proven water
I'll say it like this -- there's a current under the water that I don't know where it's going sometimes with this team. But I do think it's capable of making a very good run, and I don't think that's a dream. We have proven we can play with anybody.
finished product steps
Let's not anoint us as a finished product yet. But I like the steps we're taking.
confidence internet keys lose maybe nowadays problem radio sudden survive talk three
I think that will be one of the keys to the season, will we survive if we lose two games, three games, maybe even five? ... The problem nowadays with the Internet and talk radio -- all of a sudden everyone's getting down on you, and your confidence can go down.
lacking saying sure
I'm going to say what I've been saying all year, yes, we are lacking a leader. Our turnovers, 16-12 isn't ridiculous, but I'm sure they scored on a lot of them.