Tom Izzo says Michigan State must fix deficiencies on defense
South Bend, Ind. – Tom Izzo doesn’t make excuses, so it is not surprising that the Hall of Fame Michigan State Coach wasn’t ticking off reasons his No. 20 ranked basketball team was dismantled by a Notre Dame that has frankly underachieved to this point in the season.
“We could use the excuse that we are tired, but I really don’t think that has anything to do with not getting back (on defense) at the beginning of the game,” coach Tom Izzo said afterward. “They smashed us in the mouth and they deserved what they got. They played harder than we did.”
Be that as it may, Tom Izzo pointed a finger squarely at himself for taking on a non-conference schedule that is arguably the toughest the Spartans have played during his Hall of Fame career at Michigan State. For Michigan State, this ACC-Big Ten Challenge match-up was just one marquise match-up on the heels of games against Gonzaga, Kentucky, Villanova, Alabama, Oregon.
“I will take the blame on the scheduling,” Izzo said, “but the players didn’t do the things that they needed to do and Notre Dame did.”
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For Notre Dame, this is the biggest game the Fighting Irish will play during the non-conference season. And as such it was an opportunity to right the wrongs of a disappointing November, including a recent loss to St. Bonaventure.
Ultimately, this was a game where Michigan State was exposed defensively without two of it’s better defensively players Jaden Akins and Malik Hall on the bench with foot injuries. To make matters worse, Michigan State’s top backcourt defender Tyson Walker playing with a heavy heart after a death in his family.
“We have some deficiencies defensively, with changes in the line-up and we have to get better at that,” Izzo said. “I don’t think anybody did a good a job from our coaches to our players, except for maybe Joey Hauser and AJ (Hoggard) played okay, and I thought Hauser played very well and did the things we wanted done.”
