Following the news that rioters began to storm the US Capitol building yesterday, Michigan State men's basketball held a press conference where both Izzo and guard Joshua Langford shared their thoughts on the tumultuous day in America's democratic history.

Izzo, who was audibly emotional during the zoom press conference Thursday, said he agrees that people should be allowed to, and actively, protest, but he does not agree with protests that cause the destruction of property or lives to be lost.

"(Yesterday) wasn't a protest, that was a riot," Izzo said. "I didn't think there was any class or character shown in that. ... I don't consider that kind of protest American."

Izzo said, as his main priority and responsibility, he's going to continue to work with his guys to treat everyone with respect and honor everyone, which is the opposite of what he says he saw from those in Washington D.C. and even Lansing.

"I don't care if you're white, Black, Hispanic, Jewish, young or old, rich or poor," Izzo said. "If we want equality, equality covers everything. Equality covers some of the things that went on yesterday, and I'm hoping that each and every individual that was involved in that is held responsible."

Izzo said that he's going to do his best to take control of, or help control, finding total equality here at MSU, and even within Michigan.

"It makes it very difficult to see things like that happen, and then have to go talk to your players and think of some of the things that happened over the summer and not feel there is some injustice," Izzo said. "... It makes me want to fight even harder."

Langford said at the end of the day, while we are all American citizens, events like these make it difficult to be a leader and help his teammates as they simultaneously prepare for a game.

The senior called it both disheartening and sad, explaining that with hard times comes great balance.

A day after the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat held a players-only meeting, according to a report from Keith Smith of Yahoo! Sports — following the events and news out of D.C. — before their nationally-televised matchup and the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks symbolically knelt in protest of the ruling that Rusten Sheskey, the police officer that shot Jacob Blake seven times in the back, would not be charged, the MSU basketball program will look toward the next matchup during a rocky period in the U.S.

Michigan State (8-3) takes on Purdue (7-5) at 7 p.m. tomorrow in East Lansing.

"You have to realize that you can't necessarily try to control the things you can't control, but you have to control the things you can control," Langford said.

Both Langford and Izzo recognized that sports are safe havens for some people, and that's why they refuse to give up, no matter how upset or concerned they might be.