Opening Statement...
Credit to Michigan State, they were obviously the better team. I thought the first half had a lot of missed shots. Really affected our energy and our discipline, and they had a lot to do with it. They are a good team and will get better and better, and we were not very good at all. So credit to them, we have to learn from it and move on and see if we can steal one from a very good Penn State team.
On difference between the two games against MSU this season…
Free throws. We went to the free throw line 47 times that game and only seven times tonight. So for whatever reason we just didn’t get to the line.
On Miles Bridges being a difference maker…
He was terrific in the first half just making skill plays. They have very, very good talent and if Coach Tom Izzo was a normal coach and scheduled normal, they probably would have two or three losses, but you know that’s how he is and he knows what he is doing and I’m not questioning him but they are going to get better and better and better. They are one of the most talented teams in the league. Obviously still very young, and when Miles Bridges is healthy you have to look out.
On playing twice already and the takeaway from that…
We were very good the first time against them and we were not very good tonight. I think that they played a very good game. I thought they were very good and we were obviously pretty bad. Give them credit. They were the more physical tough team. We were not. They executed, we did not, and it is almost impossible to win on the road when you shoot 33 percent, get to the foul line seven times, and get out rebounded by 13. Impossible.
On young players playing on the road…
I’ll tell you that I’ve seen great environments here. I think Coach Tom Izzo was a little frustrated and is always a little bit tough. Purdue is a terrific environment. They are both really good and when this place is good it is phenomenal. I felt young today, I definitely felt young today. I’m not sure that was the crowd as opposed to their toughness and they just beat us up not in the fouling way but the toughness. But I definitely thought we looked young today. I haven’t felt that way yet.
On sophomore Jordan Murphy’s rebounds…
I don’t know, its like anything else. You score a bunch of points, normally the best defender goes on you. I’m sure they locked in on that on the scouting report standpoint and said you have to keep him off the glass because he was terrific at our place from a rebounding standpoint. Four rebounds is not enough, Reggie (Lynch) only three rebounds is not enough obviously. We really just from top to bottom were not very good but I think you have to give them a lot of credit. They were very good and we were not.
On the league being very even…
To me it’s just, you’re ranked, and everyone loves you. It is too early for any of it. We have had five league games. We have a bunch of time left. There are no easy games in this league. Winning on the road is very difficult just because we did it twice early doesn’t mean we are going to run through teams on the road, it’s very challenging to do. It’s a marathon, I told our team a marathon, is 26 miles, and we have run 14. It’s not over, we have not arrived and our team understands that. I think that every game is hard in this league.
On all the schedules being different and if he would like to see more spacing…
I would, but my opinion doesn’t matter nor should it. I’m one of the youngest coaches our here. I am not questioning why they do it. There is a reason. We are playing Ohio State again soon and we just played them. I don’t get it but I am sure there is a reason. I try not to worry about those things.
On junior guard Nate Mason being the guy that keeps the team running…
I do not think that it is just on Nate. Obviously he was not great. I do not think that it was all his fault, we were not setting great screens, I thought the flow was not good. It is not just on Nate to go score points. It is on him to take what the offense gives him. I thought that the screens were not good, I don’t think our cuts were good, I don’t think our spacing was good. Just top to bottom it was a poor performance. I said that it is the first time that I felt like we were young this year and we have to learn from it.
On freshman guard Joshua Langford’s performance outperforming scouting reports…
Not really, I thought that he is one of the best freshman in the country. A McDonald’s All-American. He played like a McDonald’s All-American, he is a great player and will keep getting better and better as the year goes on.
Credit to Michigan State, they were obviously the better team. I thought the first half had a lot of missed shots. Really affected our energy and our discipline, and they had a lot to do with it. They are a good team and will get better and better, and we were not very good at all. So credit to them, we have to learn from it and move on and see if we can steal one from a very good Penn State team.
On difference between the two games against MSU this season…
Free throws. We went to the free throw line 47 times that game and only seven times tonight. So for whatever reason we just didn’t get to the line.
On Miles Bridges being a difference maker…
He was terrific in the first half just making skill plays. They have very, very good talent and if Coach Tom Izzo was a normal coach and scheduled normal, they probably would have two or three losses, but you know that’s how he is and he knows what he is doing and I’m not questioning him but they are going to get better and better and better. They are one of the most talented teams in the league. Obviously still very young, and when Miles Bridges is healthy you have to look out.
On playing twice already and the takeaway from that…
We were very good the first time against them and we were not very good tonight. I think that they played a very good game. I thought they were very good and we were obviously pretty bad. Give them credit. They were the more physical tough team. We were not. They executed, we did not, and it is almost impossible to win on the road when you shoot 33 percent, get to the foul line seven times, and get out rebounded by 13. Impossible.
On young players playing on the road…
I’ll tell you that I’ve seen great environments here. I think Coach Tom Izzo was a little frustrated and is always a little bit tough. Purdue is a terrific environment. They are both really good and when this place is good it is phenomenal. I felt young today, I definitely felt young today. I’m not sure that was the crowd as opposed to their toughness and they just beat us up not in the fouling way but the toughness. But I definitely thought we looked young today. I haven’t felt that way yet.
On sophomore Jordan Murphy’s rebounds…
I don’t know, its like anything else. You score a bunch of points, normally the best defender goes on you. I’m sure they locked in on that on the scouting report standpoint and said you have to keep him off the glass because he was terrific at our place from a rebounding standpoint. Four rebounds is not enough, Reggie (Lynch) only three rebounds is not enough obviously. We really just from top to bottom were not very good but I think you have to give them a lot of credit. They were very good and we were not.
On the league being very even…
To me it’s just, you’re ranked, and everyone loves you. It is too early for any of it. We have had five league games. We have a bunch of time left. There are no easy games in this league. Winning on the road is very difficult just because we did it twice early doesn’t mean we are going to run through teams on the road, it’s very challenging to do. It’s a marathon, I told our team a marathon, is 26 miles, and we have run 14. It’s not over, we have not arrived and our team understands that. I think that every game is hard in this league.
On all the schedules being different and if he would like to see more spacing…
I would, but my opinion doesn’t matter nor should it. I’m one of the youngest coaches our here. I am not questioning why they do it. There is a reason. We are playing Ohio State again soon and we just played them. I don’t get it but I am sure there is a reason. I try not to worry about those things.
On junior guard Nate Mason being the guy that keeps the team running…
I do not think that it is just on Nate. Obviously he was not great. I do not think that it was all his fault, we were not setting great screens, I thought the flow was not good. It is not just on Nate to go score points. It is on him to take what the offense gives him. I thought that the screens were not good, I don’t think our cuts were good, I don’t think our spacing was good. Just top to bottom it was a poor performance. I said that it is the first time that I felt like we were young this year and we have to learn from it.
On freshman guard Joshua Langford’s performance outperforming scouting reports…
Not really, I thought that he is one of the best freshman in the country. A McDonald’s All-American. He played like a McDonald’s All-American, he is a great player and will keep getting better and better as the year goes on.
