Tom Izzo evaluates how Michigan State handled hostile road environment

Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans picked up a huge road win in a hostile environment on Friday night, taking down the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers on the road and snapping Wisconsin’s seven-game win streak in the process.

It was a substantial rebound for Izzo, whose Michigan State team was just six days removed from a poor showing against Northwestern. One that, in Izzo’s words, was “about as poor as I have since I’ve taken this job.”

The road win over a top-10 team did not come without a few moments of tension, as the Spartans looked to hold off Naismith Player of the Year candidate Johnny Davis. However, Tom Izzo left impressed by the ability of Michigan State to handle the hostile environment.

“I was impressed by that,” said Izzo. “I thought we could have crumbled (when Wisconsin got down to six). Must have been out during that period, but thank God. You get it down to six or eight and that place started hopping. Like old times. I thought some ghosts from the past were coming out. It was, a lot of those were good.

“Malik was really good in there. He said we got to do what we got to do. A.J. was really good, and we did come up with some big plays. Joey made those free throws then in that stretch and that really made a difference. I was proud of them for that. This is one of the more hostile environments, I mean, this is one of a couple of my favorite places to ever play. It didn’t disappoint anybody tonight. It was a hell of a game for us, but Wisconsin is going to win a lot of games, I promise.”

Tom Izzo on Wisconsin

Tom Izzo continued to praise the Wisconsin team by evaluating what makes it so special.

“That was a big win for us, no question about it. Tough loss for Greg (Gard) but it seems like everybody’s got somebody out. I think the (Tyler) Wahl situation, although the last time we played Northwestern their leading scorer was out, and it’s always a worry because it seems like teams can rally and play good. But two hellacious players, two of the better players I’ve seen in this league in (Brad) Davison and (Johnny) Davis,” Izzo said, complimenting some of Wisconsin’s top players. “I’ve been in the league a long time and we did a good job on both of them and they torched us. That’s what great players do.”