Michigan State 70, Iowa 63
1/20/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2010
Recap | Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
MICHIGAN STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Post-Game Quotes
Michigan State vs. Iowa
Jan. 20, 2010
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
Opening Statement...
On the bright side, we won the game, and we had 24 assists out of 28 baskets, and a lot of credit should go to Todd [Lickliter] and his team because those were the bright sides I saw. We just didn't respect the game or the ball. You know what, championship years we've won one point games at Northwestern and two point games at Penn State. I guess I've got to live with it because it is what it was. I don't want to take anything away from Iowa because if there was ever a team that looked well-coached, the players played hard, didn't quit when they've been through a very tough season, they were every one of those things. I give a lot of credit to them.
On if the team let up when they felt in control...
That'd be a good question for the players. In the second half I tried to do what players like you to do, players don't want to hear when they do something wrong, sometimes they like to work themselves out of it...I was really looking forward to this game as a maturation process, are we starting to make it? I guess we're back to baby-bottles and diapers. We've got some work to do.
On his disappointment in not getting out to a fast start during this game...
When you're looking for perfection--both as fans, media and coaches--you're looking at everything. When you win games by 23 or 20 like we did in the past, bad starts are bad starts. What we really want is a good start, a good middle and a good finish, and most of the time that's unrealistic. I think I'm more worried about how we played throughout than I am worried about a start or a finish. I'm more worried about the look on guys faces and I'm more worried about how they're going to handle some adversity, because there's going to be some now. I'm not going to worry as much about the start or the finish as the entire game, I'm going to look at the whole game a little bit better.
On whether he felt like his players were playing with a sense of urgency after Iowa began to cut into the lead...
What did you think? I just watched it like you did, I didn't do much more than you did, I just watched the game. I didn't think so. I thought Raymar did, I was actually pleased with most of his play. There were a couple of guys that looked like they did. I don't think in general I saw much of that. That happens sometimes if you don't respect the game, and I just thought we were mature enough to handle that. Derrick Nix had more respect for the game than some of the guys that were in there, and he's a freshman. But I didn't think so, at least I didn't see it. But I didn't ask anybody either, during or after.
On why he did a lot of watching during the game rather than getting on his players to take back control...
It's an interesting problem. If you get on people then players don't like it, fans don't like it, media doesn't like it. If you stay off of people, most of you didn't probably like that either. I'm just trying to figure out my team, and each year you have new guys, you have new teams, so tonight I tried to figure them out. It wasn't a very well coached team by Michigan State [tonight], it wasn't a very well played game by Michigan State. But I felt like I had to figure out whether somebody was going to step up and say some things or do some things, and I got my answer that I'll keep to myself and so I'll adjust. You can adjust by a close loss or a poorly played game, but this hasn't shown to be a team that really adjusts either way. With big wins do you get some momentum? With a loss do you get some grit? We've had our moments, but not comfortably or consistently enough to be a great team yet. You've got to understand that I am used to our great teams playing with incredible emotion, and this team is not quite like that right now. Maybe it will get better, but maybe there's a lot of other teams around the country that aren't either when you look at what's going on. Maybe it's a problem that a lot of us have. Whoever gets to somebody so that they play with passion, they play with a sense of urgency, that team is probably going to win the Big Ten and that team's probably going to move on deep into the tournament.
Iowa Head Coach Todd Lickliter
On playing hard in the second half ...
We never said, `let's just play hard and see what happens,' we kept saying it's the possession at hand, play the game the right way and continue to concentrate on the things you can do and should do. We kept teaching and working. I think it is typical that they were in control. I'm sure there was a let up on their part, they were in control. To our guy's credit, I think we continued to fight. I thought we fought in the post the last seven or eight minuets. I don't think we had a turnover in the last seven or eight minutes, which is huge. We got in striking range, although, you have got to hand it to them that when we did, they made a big shot. They are a terrific team and really well coached. The environment that they created here is very enviable. It's incredible and my hat goes off to them. I think it is fun to come in here and play, they are not all friendly but it is impressive. They have a great coach, great team and great support. That stacked against us a little bit, but it is a great place to come and compete.
On coming back from down 19...
To be down 19 is really daunting to this team. We had 14 turnovers, nine in the first half. We stayed on 19 forever. We would like to be a good team. We want to keep fighting and be a really good team and I don't think you are going to do that if you feel sorry for yourself, don't compete, and you don't continue to adjust and learn. These are opportunities, we're still growing. I think it is well documented that we're still young and we're trying to build something. This is a tough league to build in because the competition is so good. Hopefully we can build on this. The idea is to win, without it, it's all pretty shallow. We have to see what was done well, and we need to do more of that. Sometimes in tough situations we do things that are hard to understand. There is no one who can make or catch some of the passes we try to make.
