Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo…
Opening statement…
It was an interesting day. I don't think I could ever explain to you how hard it is to spend the amount of time you spend with these guys, coaching them through a tough game and praying to God they get to enjoy their senior night. Most of the time, this lasts a lifetime. I've had games where we played for championships on senior night, then there's times we played just for the pride on senior night in my first two years. The emotions are different. I'll like to publicly thank Chris Collins. I talked to his dad today, he's a good friend of mine. With a tough loss he had, he said to me, 'do me one favor, enjoy the moment with your son.' That tells me there's still some human beings in this profession. It was a night we couldn't make a shot, we were 2-for-17 from the three and we missed a few free throws. We did some things like getting 19 offensive boards, we did some effort related things, our defense was pretty good, we didn't turn the ball over. There's a lot of things we did well, some of the shots that we missed I was amazed. Jaden [Akins] and Tyson [Walker] had some great looks but we didn't get them. I swear to you that's a good team we played and he [Collins] is one of the best coaches in this conference. He has done an unbelievable job. I'm just happy we won. I'dlike to thank our fans. Senior Day is hard and they see a two-hour game that felt like a four-hour game, then they stayed there for 45 minutes after the game. It's always the chance we take having ours after the game, yet I decided it many years ago. I lost a couple, Draymond's [Green] is one I'll remember till the day I die. At the same time, it gives our fans a chance to appreciate our players, and it gives our players a chance to appreciate the fans. We sure as hell can't shoot it but we can put on a senior night. It is as good as it gets.
On what's the one thing he would take from Breslin to take with him into postseason play…
I would like to take all 15,000 people with me. This is one of those years where they [the fans] won us games and this year it was more than a share of games. For some ungodly reason, we haven't been what I think we can be. I keep looking in the mirror and asking myself. We had two great practices, shot the ball really well yesterday and we just started out the game with a turnover and three-point play. I don't know if it was nerves or things we did wrong. They played hard and they made shots. If you wonder why I say there's a process to everything and we want to speed the process with all these kids; I look at Boo Buie and what he was as a freshman, what he was when they red-shirted him, what he was as a sophom*ore and the last two years he made himself a pro. He can control the game, make other people better, he can make shots, he can make plays, he plays defense and he plays a lot of minutes. I would say I wasn't the biggest fan his first two years, I told him after the game, 'big fan.' I love when people change, adapt and adjust. Boo Buie has done that. Chris deserves some credit and so does Boo.
On whether his team has progressed…
Yes. We progressed as an offensive rebounding team. We progressed as a 'showing a little grit' team. That's it. I don't think we progressed in the other things that I hoped we would progress in. But I think in fairness too, I thought we had some open looks, I mean Jaden and Tyson had some open looks. But I thought they did a good job with their defense of switching things and doing things and it created some problems for us. We just couldn't really play, and they went really small and really hurt us because we thought we could play Book (Xavier Booker) and our other bigs and that just wasn't the case, so I'd say Chris [Collins] did a good job too.
On what was said between the seniors at halftime…
A.J. (Hoggard) was upset with himself and Malik (Hall) had played decent. We actually talked about the film we looked at and how bad we were. We weren't moving, we weren't doing anything, and players got on other players which was pleasant. There's another place we grew; players got on players. It was not a big yelling and screaming in the locker room, it was just one that, 'guys, this is the memory that you want to make, there's nothing wrong with missing shots.' But we missed a couple shots early, we weren't moving very well, and I don't know why but you've got to get it fixed. So, not going home tonight. Tonight, I'm going to be doing a lot of work.
On Tre Holloman's performance…
Yeah, I'm really proud of Tre, he made some big plays. He missed some good shots too, but he made those big free throws, he got a couple rebounds, he made a couple threes and we weren't making any. So you [Holloman] get four rebounds, you go 4-4 from the line, you score 12 points. The thing that we didn't do tonight, and he didn't do it at all either, A.J. did a little bit and Tyson did more than anybody: we only had 11 assists. Of course, we only had 19 baskets but we only had 11 assists. They [Northwestern] only had 18 baskets, I didn't even realize that. But it was a rock fight. I don't know how Chris felt but I will talk to him tomorrow, but I didn't think either team… we played poorly the first half and they had a couple stretches where they'd play good but then a couple stretches where they didn't.
On what the team is most likely to progress on before the tournament…
That's a good question. It better be a lot of things. It better be a lot of things. And I think there can be. With the couple of you guys that I've talked to I've been pretty honest that I think I'm just dumb enough. I think we still have some game left in us. I think there's things we can do. But our seniors, right now Tyson hasn't been shooting as well and if A.J., Ty and Malik play well, we've got enough bigs to sub in as it almost would have helped us against Purdue, I think Coen Carr could help us. For him and Booker, it was tough because they went small and it was tough on Book and Coen, God he played so hard but still the shooting's a problem, even the free throws. So, it's like you can put one guy in for one reason and another guy in for another reason. We all have to get better with our shooting. I don't know why we're not shooting the ball well because I think I've got enough good shooters; we've just been struggling with it. And I say that and we're one of the better 3-point shooting teams in the league. I don't know. Confusion. A little confusing tonight, maybe those guys will have answers for me tomorrow, I don't think anybody did any of that on purpose. When you don't make shots like that it's hard to keep playing defense, so if there's another thing I've learned, it's that we can keep playing defense. We can win ugly. Which that won a lot of games back in the championship years. Ugly. And, I'd just liked to have won a little prettier tonight, but a win is a win, we got the win and we move on.
On how his team built on the game against Purdue…
I think we rebounded well. I mean, Malik was a man-child himself in the rebounding, but we did get some, four from Mady, five from Tyson, we got four Jaden, man our guards, we got four from Tre. We got some rebounds from some guys so that's a plus. I didn't like the way we moved the ball in that, I think we've got a lot of work to do. Our defense is getting better but our offense has got some work to do. It's just tweaks, it's a matter of moving and a matter of reversing the ball a little bit more. We had enough shots, that's what's frustrating, we're getting shots, you'd expect to make more than we made.
On Malik Hall's rebounding…
Malik had a man's night. I've never seen him go like that. That was an Andre Hutson, a Zach Randolph night. He was just going to go get the ball no matter where it was. Some of my staff kept saying that we had to take him out, and I said, 'over my dead body.' He can play until he can't walk and I'm not taking him out, and I have to give him credit. He played through that, so I think that's a plus too. I think that A.J. wasn't very good the first half, but I thought at halftime he did answer the bell. He came out and did some great things and got them downhill a little bit more. At the start of the second half, I'll give both of those guys credit for what they did and how they did it. I do think our team is together and I do think we've got a lot of things we can build on, and I do think that we are better than we're playing, and that we've got a run in us. I hope everybody challenges me on that, I don't blame them. If I was watching the game, I'd ask if I'm on dial-a-clue or something, I don't know. I do believe in it. And one thing about me: if I don't, I'll probably say it.
On what tonight was like as both coach and father…
That was different. Thank God Steven doesn't play a lot, but it was an emotional day for him. I always tell my wife I'm sure he's ready to be done. And I know it's hard, he goes to practice, and he doesn't do a lot, he goes to all these meetings and everything. It was funny when he said that in his speech about meetings, but as I tell Tyson, A.J., Malik, I tell them all: the day will come when you miss the meetings. The meetings mean something that you care about what you're doing. You get to the next level, and they just fire you. They don't have any meetings with you, they tell you to pack your bags. Or you go to your job and there's not a lot of meetings that are telling you to do things right. Pretty soon they're telling you that you don't have a job. I noticed today Steven was way more emotional than I thought he'd be. He's got his own cold spot. I thought our guys were good, but they didn't seem to have what I think they have. We need to find a way to get that because if we do, there might be a chance for one of those runs.
On Tyson Walker…
Well believe it or not, he's sitting here so I'll say it in front of his face because I say it in front of his face when I'm sitting in a meeting. He's passing up shots, and he took 21. But I'm telling you, where has he improved? He had five rebounds and seven rebounds the other night. Where has he improved? He's become a much better passer than he used to be. I do think this is a mistake I made; the injury was more than I thought it was. I say that because last week, I see him like tonight, I wasn't taking him out either. I know he cramped up or ran into a TV thing, and I say, 'are you alright, can you go,' and he says, 'yes I can go.' Well, I wasn't taking him out so if you don't want to go, then just hobble up and down. That's the mentality that I have right now. He can take this place, I'll show you how dumb I am, and he and I talked about it, I go back and watch the film from Illinois and Purdue last year. Different games where he just took over, and there were a couple times where I thought tonight that maybe we always tell him to look for passes and look for drives, maybe I need to tell him to look for the shot. When he is open, he still could make shots, and I think that is going to be a big thing for us moving forward. Him and Jaden need to make shots, because Malik is playing at the best level he has played at since he has been here. Offensively, defensively, rebounding - that was ridiculous tonight. I have no worries there, and I think Booker's going to get a little better and help up there. I still tell our centers by committing, they can get things done. But we need to score the ball, and A.J.'s contributing, but those two guys need to shoot it.
Michigan State's graduate forward Malik Hall
On what was said at halftime …
It was just that we had to win the game. There was nothing else to it. Steven [Izzo] said something and Davis [Smith] said something. We just all said that we have to win the game and play better no matter what it takes.
On if tonight can help them go on a run …
I think it is a building block. It's a tough game, Northwestern played really well. I think it was just one of those games where we had to gut it out. Obviously losing three in a row, it was a building block for us moving forward. I think once we get a game or a couple games together where everybody plays at a really high level, I think that is something we haven't had yet. I think that'll be the difference for us. After that, once we start to be consistent with that, there's no stopping us.
On what this team means to him …
This game and this team means a lot more than I can put into words. Just this program in general. At some point in high school, I didn't even think I was going to play college basketball, let alone at this level. Just being here is more than I could ever ask for.
On if the emotions of senior night impacted their play …
It could've for sure. There's been a lot of emotions in the last 24 hours for all of us. I think that could've been the story. I'm not completely sure.
Michigan State's senior guard Tyson Walker
On what his celebration meant after kissing the court...
I was just tryingto be goofy. There was no reason behind it, and I was just trying to give people something to laugh at. Right now, I feel good. I didn't cry, I got all that out yesterday. When you just think, like damn, it's over and time really flew by, it's sad but it's good to cry.
On what was going on in his head during the last 12 minutes of the game...
I was just trying to be aggressive, trying to get fouled even though sometimes it doesn't happen. Jump shots weren't falling so I had to figure other things out.
On what he thinks the potential is for this team...
Winning this game is big. We played a lot of defense and we did some good things. We just haven't put a full game together, offensively and defensively for the whole time. When we get that going it's a totally different game.
On what it was like playing in this atmosphere for the last time...
I feel like this is the best place to play. Every time I start making shots and the crowd gets going, it doesn't get old. I tell all the freshmen and sophom*ores that when you have your moment it's the best feeling in the world.
Northwestern head coach Chris Collins
Opening Statement….
Disappointing Loss for us. It was just a battle out there. Two teams fighting, grabbing and clawing. You could sense how important it was to both teams. Neither team could get any separation from each other. It went back and forth. Again, if you would have said to me today, 'hey coach, you're going to have the ball and Ryan Langborn is going to get an open three to win the game on a clean look, would you take it?' Absolutely I would have and that is a testament to our guys that we fought really hard. Certainly we know we are under man but you got to play with what you got. I was really proud of our fight and our resilience to come and hang in there and give ourselves a chance to win.
Update on Matt with his crutches…
He is going to be out this week. We are going to see the results next week and see. We want to let his foot calm down a bit which is why he is on the crutches. His foot needs to heal a little bit. He is an older player and wants to play in the tournaments. We felt if we give it a week to heal and calm down, then maybe he can give us some minutes. We will give an update before the Big Ten tournament.
On missing Ty Berry…
Ty is a huge part of our team. He was one of the better wing guys in the conference. He averages over 13 a game and is a guy who can come off screens. He can hit threes and is a good defender. We were very prolific offensively with him, Ryan [Langborg] and Boo [Buie]. We just had to reinvent ourselves with the guys we got. Nick [Martinelli] has done a great job but he is a different kind of player. It has changed how we have had to play offense but obviously it's going to eat into our ability to score the ball. Ryan cooking off an injury, you knew there was going to be some rust there. You have two weeks where you really don't do much and it was good to have him out there today. Just seeing him move around, it was really good. As we head into Saturday and the tournaments, I think he will be back and ready to roll.
On getting through a small ball lineup…
We did give up some rebounds unfortunately and second chances. They did get 19 offensive rebounds which is way too many. We got to do a better job at that. But once Luke picked up two fouls in a minute, it really forced us to go to a small lineup. It's something we talked about, if we were forced in that position to go a little smaller and spread the floor. I thought for the most part that we had the minutes we played and we did a pretty good job.
On bouncing back from a two-game skid…
You just have to go home and win, right? We've had a situation where we had a really tough week earlier in the year where we were at Purdue and lost in overtime, then we went to Minnesota and lost in overtime. That was the other instance where we lost two in a row. We went home and then won five of our next six. I love the resiliency of our group. When you play in a league like the B1G TEN, unless you are Purdue, you are probably going to have a stretch where you maybe lose two in a row. For us to be sitting 11-8, kind of controlling our own destiny heading into the weekend, I am very proud of the work that our guys have put in. Now we got to go home and rest up. We have to continue, because we know Minnesota is a very good team and we will have our hands full, but we got to do everything we can do finish off our home slate with a big win on Saturday night.
Seeing MSU change its approach in the 2ndhalf…
At the end of the day, they scored 53 points and shot 31%. I don't know how that entails into really getting it going. I thought our defense was very good. We left five points on the table at the foul line. Ryan got fouled on a two shot foul and made one out of two. And then we had a one and one with Luke and a one and one with Brooks. And they missed them both, so that's five. When you are playing in a 50-point game, you got to take advantage of those free throw opportunities. The margin of error was slim, but overall, I thought our defensive effort was great. If you would have said to me before the game, that they are going to shoot 31% and score 53 points, I would have definitely taken it.
On if Langborg's shooting struggles stem from his injury…
Yes, definitely. Like I said, he got hurt in the Michigan game, which was two weeks ago. For the better part of two weeks, he hasn't had any live action. He has been in practice for a couple days, as he has rehabbed, but he didn't really do any scrimmaging. We had to be careful about contact. This was really his first opportunity to get back to live action and when you play sports, timing is everything. I expected a little bit of that, and then he did step up and hit a huge three to cut it to two. Then I thought we ran a great play, and he got a great look there at the end that was just in and out. He is just going to keep getting better. It was encouraging to see him play 39 minutes. I think a couple more days, the more he plays, he will be back. We need him, obviously. We are going to need his scoring. There is a lot of Nick, Boo, Ryan and Brooks to shoulder the load right now for some of the injuries we have.
On if he was satisfied with his team's perimeter defense…
I was. Those guys are really good players. Akins doesn't have a basket. Akins and Hoggard were 2 for 14. Tyson gets 19, but he took 21 shots. You want a really good scorer to take more shots than he has points. With those three guys, if someone said we were going to hold them to 25 points on 10 for 35 shooting, I would have taken that, because they are really good players. I thought our defense was really good, we just did not score enough.
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