Michigan State - Purdue Post Game Quotes
1/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 16, 2002
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo:
"Well, nothing comes easy. Give our guys some credit because they met the challenge. I thought Kelvin (Torbert) met the challenge early and then I thought he slacked off a bit before he really met the challenge in the second half and did some good things. I thought Chris Hill did some good things. Marcus (Taylor) missed some shots that he normally would make.
"You have to give Purdue some credit too. They played hard and really came back. I thought for a while they really turned it up defensively and yet I thought we really turned it up defensively a little better, especially in the first half.
"I think you can understand why this team is going to be a better team with Adam Ballinger (in the lineup). He played on heart tonight and made that big-time move that I don't know how he made. We really needed to get him back."
Purdue Head Coach Gene Keady:
"Well, I think it's the same thing that's been haunting us. They shot 49 percent and we shot 34 percent, so their defense was better than ours. The difference was their 10-0 run with about seven minutes to go. We fought and battled but we could never quite get over the hump.
"I never had a good feeling (about the game). Until we learn how to guard people, we're not going to win. Stopping people is the key. We're not playing with emotion, enthusiasm or intensity. These are just things we have to get solved."
On why he didn't start Rodney Smith or Darmetreis Kilgore:
"They're not playing very well. They're not guarding people. They're taking shots that are not in rhythm with the offense. Until they learn the game the way we coach it, they're not going to start."