Post-Game Quotes
11/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 28, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
On sticking to the game plan... I think it was one of the rare times this year that we followed the game plan. My assistants deserve a lot of credit for that. We spent a lot of time on this, and we did some unique things both to J.J. Hickson and the guards. One of the guards hit some shots, and he was three-for-four from three [point range], but we were willing to give that up. We didn't think that he was a great shooter, but we gave that up and followed the game plan even when they were hitting shots. I think I did a decent job not panicking and telling them to get up on them, and they did a good job of handling it. This should help us because now we have a reference point to go back to. We have something to smile about tomorrow morning. Then it is back to work.
On the play of Goran Suton... Goran has been looking much better in practice, and it showed tonight. The biggest thing with him is he has to keep it going.
On the play of Travis Walton... Travis has had a problem lately with his wrist. It was a very bad sprain, and it has been affecting his play. The wrist was better tonight for the first time in a while. He was more aggressive on the break and ran the floor much better tonight.
On tiring N.C. State... The whole team ran the floor better tonight, especially Drew [Neitzel], Goran and Travis. It looked like N.C. State was getting tired towards the end of the game, and that is because of the aggressive play on the break.
On tonight's game being the best of the season... This was our best game of the season tonight. UCLA was the best team we have played so fa; we were up ten in that game, but we couldn't close. Tonight we did a good job, and it was our best game of the season.
On Kalin Lucas returning to the starting lineup... I may, but I may not. I'm going to talk to Travis and Kalin, look at the film and see how I feel about things, and grade it out.
North Carolina State Head Coach Sidney Lowe
Opening comments... We played against a very good ball club. They were very active and aggressive; they ran the floor well on us. They were making hard cuts and setting good screens, and they shot the ball well. We ran into a team who was clicking tonight, and they are certainly capable of doing that. We got so far behind that we couldn't make shots early in the ball game. They ran it back at us, and they played a good game.
On his team having a basketball hangover from four days off... I think that's possible. I don't like taking anything away from our opponents. They did what they were supposed to do. I think that they saw that we were tired, and then they took it to us. But we don't want to make any excuses. You have to give them the credit they deserve. They played well. But I do think that our guys tried as hard as they could. They gave what they had, and what we had just wasn't enough.
On what impressed him the most about Michigan State... I think how hard they cut on offense; how solid they are on their screens; the basic stuff, and the way they executed. That was very impressive. Their bigs had pretty good timing on their screens. Right at the last minute they would take that last step to screen you and get Neitzel and those guys wide open for shots. Part of that was that we kept trying to shoot the gap, and that wasn't the game plan. But the way they ran it - there was great pace. Neitzel was flying off the screens and getting down there, so execution their was very impressive.
On what Michigan State did in the first half to frustrate J.J. Hickson... They were digging; they were digging down. Their guards were hanging around, and they wouldn't cut through with our guards. When [Hickson] would make the move, they would dig down and strip the ball from him. We weren't patient enough in that situation where we kick it out, and they re-post and try to get it inside. We kept trying to make the move early, and then we weren't hitting those shots from the perimeter. We weren't able to take advantage of them. But they just stayed on the lane and made it tough for them.
On Michigan State being physical... They did exactly what we thought they would do. Again, I just don't think we had the energy to match it. And again, I have to say this without taking anything away from them, they were going to do it anyway. That's how they play. They play aggressive and physical. They won the hustle award. They won the physical award, and we weren't able to match that.
