Tom Izzo points out disappointing aspect of Michigan State win over Niagara

Michigan State rolled to 2-0 on the season with a 36-point win over Niagara on Thursday evening. But true to form, head coach Tom Izzo after the game already had picked out some areas to improve.

Specifically, Izzo was a bit disappointed with how his team took its foot off the gas with a double-digit lead in the first half. And despite going on to a 96-60 win, Izzo would’ve liked to see his team bury its opponent sooner.

“The one thing that was very disappointing to me is we got a lead, we got up to 13 and instead of building on it,” Izzo said.

Part of what cut into Michigan State’s lead was a pair of quick missed 3s, ending possessions and giving Niagara a window to trim the margin. Izzo relayed a message that assistant Saadi Washington relayed to the team at half, which Izzo hopes has been internalized.

“I thought Saadi Washington had a good point to a couple of our guys,” Izzo said. “Two guys took really quick 3s and it went from 13 down to seven. And he said, ‘A heat check means you hit three or four in a row and then you have the right to shoot it.’ Our guys, little screwed up on that, they must think one make is a heat check then and you get to shoot. So we got that straightened out at halftime.” 

Izzo quipped about lineup troubles prior to the season

Following Michigan State’s exhibition win over Ferris State, Izzo shared that the Spartans are likely going to have some lineup changes going into the regular season, though he wasn’t clear about what those changes could be.

“We got a lot done,” Izzo said. “We got a lot of tape to watch. We got a lot to figure out. Got a lot of bodies, we got a lot of moving parts. There might be some lineup changes, so don’t be surprised if [that happens]. Guys are gonna play well. It’s not the best players, it’s who plays the best.”

In the win over Ferris State, Michigan State shot 45 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range. The Spartans also had 14 turnovers and allowed seven offensive rebounds while trying to iron out the wrinkles before the regular season began.