Tom Izzo shares how Michigan State handled days after shooting

There’s nothing in the coach’s handbook about dealing with tragedy. Even so, Tom Izzo was left to pick up the pieces with his team as they prepared for a rivalry game after a difficult week on campus in East Lansing.

Following the 84-72 loss for Michigan State at the hands of Michigan, Izzo explained how he prepared the Spartans after a campus shooting threw off their schedule. In his mind, he thought his team did the best they could with the hand they were dealt, especially from a mental health standpoint leading up to the game.

“What we tried to do is spend a lot of time figuring out how to handle a situation that there’s no blueprint for, no book (for),” said Izzo. “As a university, I thought our mental health people, our student-athletes all did their part. Wednesday sucked, Thursday was better, and Friday was pretty good.”

Michigan State battled for 38 minutes of this contest. They gave the Wolverines a battle in Ann Arbor with a tie game with two and a half minutes to go. However, from there, Michigan ended the game on a 12-0 run to take the game by double-digits.

With that said, Izzo said he couldn’t have been prouder of his team. He knew their hurting fanbase needed some joy and, as a whole, he thought his players provided just that even in defeat.

“What I asked of them was to give everybody something to be proud of and, for the most part, I think we did that.”

LOOK: Crisler Center lit up in green moments before Michigan vs. Michigan State

The tributes and stands of solidarity with Michigan State have been numerous in the week since a shooting on Monday killed three and wounded five more. In-state rival Michigan has been among the chief participants.

Moments before the two men’s basketball teams squared off on Saturday night in Ann Arbor, via the use of wristbands, the crowd lit the Crisler Center up green. It was cool sight to see, and another small gesture after the unthinkable happened.

Saturday night is the first game the Michigan State men’s basketball team has played since the shooting, and what would normally be a hornet’s nest was, for a few moments, a safe harbor.

Crisler Center in Ann Arbor is lit up Green and White to honor Michigan State before tipoff. pic.twitter.com/vMEn5C34F6

— Michael Cohen (@Michael_Cohen13) February 19, 2023