And the bizarre thing is MSU head coach Tom Izzo said he doesn’t even consider this a physical Spartans team.

“It bugs me we’re not as physical and it bugs me there’s 51 free throws on a team that’s not that physical,” Izzo said. “It all bugs me. They’re all excuses. In my mind, we must not have respected that team.”

But Izzo said playing above and beyond the frustration from referees’ whistles, and getting fired up for every opponent, are keys for this team to jump from “good” to “great.”

“It weeds out the guys that aren’t capable of doing it and usually we’re part of the weeding out process,” he said. “I don’t want to be part of the one that gets weeded out.”

But at the same time, Izzo said he and his team need to step back and realize they are “19-3, not 3-19.”

“I’m never one that loses good,” he said. “I’m not even one that wins good.”

It’s about leadership

The Spartans were upset and stormed the court twice this season — losing in games down to the wire against teams that Izzo said his squad is better than.

And he pointed out that fans and analysts across the nation don’t understand how the Green and White can drop games to Iowa or Penn State.

“Most people don’t think we should lose a game — unless it’s to the (Boston) Celtics,” Izzo said.

In big road games, Izzo said team leaders need to step up and know their role — which Mateen Cleaves prided himself on.

“As good as Travis is, there is no great leader if you’re struggling with your own game except Cleaves,” Izzo said. “He’s a dinosaur or a robot — he just had that unbelievable ability.”

No matter how good or how bad of a game he played, he never treated a teammate differently — he kept communication lines open at all times, Izzo said.

“We have to make sure our leaders are doing that communicating,” he said. “We need to be a little tougher than we have on the road.”

Senior guard Drew Neitzel said after the Penn State loss that no matter how frustrating it feels, it’s necessary to learn from it and move on — as a leader would help his team do.

No quick healing

After a game, the Spartans normally have another one in upcoming days — allowing them to move on from a loss or even continue a winning streak.

This time, that’s not the case.

MSU doesn’t hit the hardwood again until Saturday when they host Northwestern — a full seven days after their last game.

“It’s a tougher week,” Izzo said. “It might be more beneficial for us in the long run, but it’s a tougher week because you never want to have a week where you come off a bad loss and can’t play again.”

Izzo said he gets to experience what football coaches go through during the season, with the possibility of being hurt for longer.

“We have to make sure Michigan State plays well and doesn’t turn the ball over and makes some free throws,” Izzo said. “We’ve had some one-dimensional guys, guys that have defense but haven’t scored well and guys who have scored but haven’t defended well.”

He said they have to get more guys doing both.

“I think this week will be a good week to do that,” Izzo said.

After Saturday’s game, junior center Goran Suton said it’s not even about one or two guys shining in a game.

“I’d rather have four points and four rebounds and win than have 20 points and 20 rebounds and lose.”