While Gov. Rick Snyder took to the podium for his seventh State of the State address, MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo was asked about the state of his team during his weekly press conference.
With an overall record of 12-7 and a 4-2 record in the Big Ten, MSU men’s basketball has faced adversity with young experience, early scheduling conflicts and injuries.
While the classic Izzo model suggests starting slow and building toward the end of the season, Izzo said himself that he's in unfamiliar ground.
“It's different territory,” Izzo said. “I've had the job for 22 years. Never in 22 years did I ever dream of starting four freshmen. It's a pretty good class. I've had some pretty good classes and some pretty good teams. I've had some pretty good recruiting classes. We're playing a group with four freshmen. We're playing with a group where two other guys missed a lot of time. That is going to take a lot of time, way more than I thought.”
Izzo continued to talk about the perception of the team. He said he agrees with much of what writers and fans have to say, but certain areas regarding his freshman class need to be kept in check.
“Other people can say what they want to say,” Izzo said. “It's been different to play with the ups and downs of freshmen. I think the biggest problem is that people want to compare our class with Kentucky's. They are a very, very, very good class, but they aren't four guys going to the NBA tomorrow. That has to be kept in perspective, too. “
This past Sunday, the Spartans dropped a game to Ohio State University on the road, a game that encompassed the tone of this season — inconsistency. After a big win against then-No. 24 Minnesota at home, MSU was overpowered by a desperate Buckeye team.
Though the same problems keep recurring for the Spartans, Izzo continues to supply answers for their issues, whether it solves them or not. From the player perspective, the phrase “we just have to be better,” rings throughout the Breslin Center.
“So, if I give you the state of the state, it's only going to sound like excuses, but part of the state of the state is new territory for me,” Izzo said. “I can't blame fans because it's new territory for them too. Don't panic. I know I'm not Aaron Rodgers, but don't panic. This team is getting better. We're doing some new things better and we reared our ugly head and then turnovers came back.”
Although the Spartans have been on a continuous roller coaster, Izzo said their heads are still above water because of the 4-2 start in a competitive Big Ten conference.
MSU's next contest is a 4 p.m. tipoff on Jan. 21 in Bloomington, Ind. against the Indiana Hoosiers. The game will be televised on ESPN.
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