Post-Game Quotes: Arkansas-Pine Bluff
12/6/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo
Opening statement...
I thought the unselfishness and the way we defended pretty well was great. And then we did what teams do, I am going to try not to let it ruin a good day. I was really disappointed with the second half. We just didn't have killer instinct to do what we had to do. I give Arkansas Pine-Bluff credit to their coaching staff. These kids could have quit at halftime but they didn't. I think we were so good at passing the ball for assist in the first half, that we actually did it to them for assist in the second half. It was amazing. We didn't rebound as well and just didn't have the energy. I thought [Matt] Costello played one of his best games, he hit free throws, did some good things. I thought [Denzel] Valentine actually played pretty well, he moved the ball well. I thought [Travis] Trice played pretty well. After that there were some moments of guys playing well, but I don't know what I attribute it to but that part was disappointing but I am going to try and enjoy half a day here.
On the unselfishness of the team...
You know, the unselfishness is incredible. That's the way we need to play. The funny part is that BJ [Branden Dawson] was a big part of that and then he went to sleep. But I don't know, I'm proud of that, I am just disappointed that guys don't just...I told them the story of Scott Skiles. You know that, when you are juniors and seniors you have to believe that every game might be your last, so you have to try and do everything to do and take the games where you should score more points, get more assists, and build and position in the games that you don't. And yet, I don't think that got through very good.
On Gavin Schilling and Matt Costello....
I think realistically those two guys have been the bright spot of my team so far. They have made mistakes, they have done some things. But if you look at how we are covering ball springs compared to how we did the first two games, if you look at defending the post fairly well, their scoring, their rebounding, what were their total totals today? 22 and 10, that's incredible. And we have been getting a consistent 15, 16, and 13. You know it is not the same as AP [Adreian Payne] but there are some pluses to. They are better on the ball screens than he was, and some other things. I am pleased with the way those two guys have played. I think it is nice to see [Travis] Trice bounce back. I think for some reason he was, the bad shots he took in the last two games, he didn't take any today and he just let the game come to him. Shot well, played well, did a lot of good things in them minutes he played. So I am pleased with our centers, both of them, but I don't know who is ahead of who right now. It started out [Matt] Costello was a little bit ahead of [Gavin] Schilling, then Schilling was a little bit ahead of Costello, but one of the reasons I changed the lineup was because Matt tends to get two fouls to start every game. He played two minutes in that Kansas game, so I just thought I'd keep him out early and that's what I did. So it doesn't matter to either one of them, it doesn't matter to me, I am just happy I am getting production out of both of them.
On how to get team to buy into forgetting about their states and being unselfish...
You know the problem with Branden Dawson, so I can call him out in public, is that as dumb as it sounds, he is almost too unselfish. I mean he took himself out of the game twice in the first half. And I am ripping my assistants asking why Branden is out so much, and they ripped me saying that he asked to come out. He is saying that other guys deserve a chance. I mean he has got the ball in there, he is shooting some, he is passing it. Some of it I love, some of it I hate. But most great players are too selfish and right now he is being a little too unselfish. But I thought this was a big key. You know, this is the problem with basketball. Travis Trice today moved the ball as well as anybody and he only had three assists, but if he was a hockey player he would have had 12. You know, the assist-to-the-assist that those guys get. SO he did a great job moving the ball and took shots that were there. Like I said, you have got to give them some credit in the second half. They kept playing that zone, kept playing it hard. We put some different guys in the middle, I'd say Marvin [Clark Jr.] had a bit of a tough time with that, but it is the first time we put him in there so some of it is probably my fault.
Arkansas Pine-Bluff Head Coach George Ivory
On what he thought of his team's performance...
"We did a better job in the second half. I think Michigan State did a great job coming out and shooting the basketball. They did an outstanding job. It was an experience with the guys. I wanted them to work hard, push the basketball, and just play tough. I thought we did a better job during the second half. When you play a top against a top 20 team like Michigan State, you expect to be bumped, but we didn't make shots, and they made a lot of shots.
On what the players will take away...
"An understanding of how the big guys run the floor. That's what we've been talking about. Every play, they run the floor and play hard. That's something we've got to get better at, consistently playing hard every play. When you look at them, that's one thing they did a great job of.
On what the program will take away...
"Just the basketball atmosphere. Coming into a hostile, great crowd, and it seemed like it was packed. We're not going to play this kind of competition very often. It was a good experience for our guys to go back and find out what we need to work on against guys like Dawson. Valentine and Forbes shot the ball very well, so it was a chance to understand how to work hard and be focused."
On his team's toughness...
"We needed to come out and compete the whole game, but we didn't do it in the first half. They shot the ball exceptionally well in the first half, and I expected that. We knew Coach Izzo is such a great coach, and we knew he was going to have them up after watching the Notre Dame game. I thought they would be very focused and determined, and they came out and executed well."
