Jan. 11, 2017 Recap | Box Score | Notes | USATSI Photo Gallery 
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Opening Statement…
As I just told Richard (Pitino), there are ups and downs of trying to figure it out with freshmen. His freshman, (Amir) Coffey, has been playing really well and was recruited at a high level. He just didn't play as well tonight. I thought our defense was as good as it had been. It was just like old times. We did a lot of good things defensively. Some guys had their best games. I thought
Kenny Goins had his best game.
Joshua Langford played is best game. Tum Tum (Nairn Jr.) did a lot of good things. I thought (Cassius) Winston did a lot of good things with five rebounds, six assists, and one turnover. We still have so much work to do. We got a little sloppy at the end with ball and defensively. But, I don't know if you can ask more of a team than to play that kind of defense most of the night. We went up there (to Minnesota), and got out rebounded by six or seven. We put them at the free throw line 45 times and they clubbed them every time. This time, we held them to 33 percent shooting and 18 percent at the line. Turnovers were pretty even. I give my staff a lot of credit. I thought the scouting report was great. I thought we took some things away and put in a few new wrinkles. I thought that helped us. Maybe the best thing is to be able to tell the team… I mean, they shot so many free throws over Christmas that they wore out spots on that court. At least we're getting some benefits from that. Any time you can put something to something you emphasize, I think it helps. I'm pleased with the win. I'm a little disappointed in the end. Oh, and the one guy I forgot, Miles (Bridges) played ok. He was a man-child that first half. He did a lot of things. It was kind of funny because last week after the game, his mother texted me and said that he was too casual and not aggressive. She said that he had to get back to beast mode. So I give her credit for getting him back to beast mode, but did you see how tired he got in the first four minutes? He almost died. I laughed because I've been asking him, 'Miles, what kind of shape do you think you're in?' and Miles was going, 'Oh, I'm 90 percent, coach.' Well, I told him he's about 60. That's about what he's at, but he did get a second wind. I was really proud of how he played and what he did. He made some nice passes. He just gives us some options and opens some things up. Nick, we didn't get a shot of because of foul trouble. We need to do a better job of that, but Kenny raised his game tenfold.
On the defensive chemistry...
We weren't real happy. Like I told you, I don't think we brought it. We didn't bring our energy. Energy and chemistry go together, maybe. I thought our offense was, at times, very good in the first half. We got a little stagnant in the second half. We started playing to score. Defensively, I thought we played together. There was a cohesion. They're very good on those ball screens. We did a good job with that. Like I said, Goins did a fantastic job, but I got something out of (Matt) Van Dyk, I got something out of
Kyle Ahrens, and I got something out of Alvin Ellis. We moved some different sized people around in there. Miles, him and Tum are sort of our catalysts. I thought that really helped us with him getting off to a good start in different ways. He had a couple inside shots and he had a couple threes. He had a couple drives and passes. I think he's starting to show a little versatility. We're probably a week and a half or two weeks away from getting him back to where he was before the injury. This was a big start. We didn't want to kill the minutes again. We have to let him play back into shape. Playing him the last three or four minutes, we decided not to do that. We were really happy. He was happy. He didn't score a point in the second half, but still had an impact on the game. That's what great players do.
On keeping momentum…
We played really well against Rutgers and didn't act like we came out to play against Penn State. Some of that was them, some of that wasn't. That's the problem when you have a bunch of freshmen. Brian Gregory and I researched a bunch of teams all over the country yesterday. There are a lot of teams, where if you're playing a lot of freshmen, and a lot of these teams aren't playing many like Minnesota. Their freshman didn't play well tonight and he's a hell of a player. He struggled tonight, but they have one freshman playing a bunch. Some of Duke's guys have struggled. It's just the roller coaster. I told my guys, 'Don't be comfortable because I don't feel comfortable.' Maybe that's a good thing. I want them to play with a little edge. Yet, I want them to be confident, but have a little edge.
On limiting Jordan Murphy's rebounding…
I told Miles that he (Jordan Murphy) was a one-man demolition derby last time we played them. We got out-rebounded by seven or eight up there. We out-rebounded them by 13, we kept them to 18 percent from the line, and we held them to 28 percent going into those last three minutes. Then we decided not to guard anybody and it ended up 33 percent. Those were all big stats. The 80-something percent free throw is a big stat for us. I just think that second chance points, getting some guys to the offensive boards, we got some good things on that. We still are getting some production out of our bench and we got some out of our bench tonight. We did a lot better job in a lot of areas, but I can only tell you how much work we have left to do. You never feel comfortable with this team. It's not all their fault. It is what it is.
Well, I'll be honest with you I've been disappointed in Kenny. I told him that. I said at Christmas, I told all you guys, Kenny, Matt (McQuaid) and
Eron Harris have to improve or else I'm going to have to start getting something out of Alvin Ellis. Kenny's come back from Christmas with a whole different attitude. I don't know if it's now the eight months that he missed from last year until September. I don't know if it's a little more confidence in the knee. But, he played with more aggression tonight. He did by far the best job in the post and still got nine rebounds. So, I'm very pleased with Kenny. If we can get Nick to be solid and Kenny now to be solid we can take some bigger steps but we still need those three guys. We got a little bit out of Eron, not enough. Didn't get enough out of Matt. Got a lot out of Kenny. So, I guess we're one a lot, one in the middle and one not enough. Those guys have to improve if we're going to get to be a good basketball team before we're done. Don't get blown away by a loss and don't get overexcited about a win, but that was a win you had to do it the way we had to do it against a physical, tough team and I thought we did the things that we can build on and that's what's important.
On the quick turnaround playing Minnesota again…
I do give a lot of credit to DJ, Dane and Mike, my staff. We put a few new wrinkles in. We did a few things in the last couple of days. With the scouting report we just feel like with the freshmen, what we're seeing and what we're getting aren't always the same. So we've changed our scouting reports, we've changed our film sessions, we've tried to do more visual, we've tried to do more 15-minute things like start three days before, two days before, we might have morning sessions. Still the ability to focus in is not as good with freshmen. So we tried to do it a couple different ways and some of those ways were successful and hopefully we can build on those.
On Tum Tum Nairn Jr. starting and finding a new combination…
Yeah, it wasn't a promotion or a demotion. What we've started looking at is with Miles, with Eron, with Nick and with Cassius who can shoot it, we have a lot of offense with that first group and not as much coming off the bench all of a sudden. Tum brings some defense to that group and if you ask me, Cassius brings some offense to the other group. So, it is just a matter of playing together. We are starting to look a little more at those two guys together and we got something out of it in three games this year, Minnesota twice and Northwestern once. Those are the three we tried it so you might see more of that at times, too. Tum brings something to the defensive end where he just lifts everybody and Cassius is still a magnificent passer that can do things on the other end. I don't know if I'll keep changing it but it's not necessarily something Cassius did wrong or Tum did right, it's trying to find the best combinations. That's the best way I can put it.
Daddy flew in. His dad flew in from Alabama. I think he's sobbing about the football loss down there. I don't really think that's the reason. Josh has been practicing. He's been better since Christmas. I think the biggest thing is that you don't see the limping or the dragging of the foot. It's been so hard for me to figure out these injuries and what it does to a kid. But, you see a more athletic kid getting to the hole, getting some rebounds. I just thought all in all he did some things, he ran the court, he came up off screens. And his shot, he's got a great mid-range game. So, that was a big plus for us. We took a step, one step. I feel like I got 10,000 to go but it was one.
On the old school uniforms…
So, Brian Gregory and
David Thomas were on the bench. Brian Gregory said, 'This reminds me of the Mateen (Cleaves) days.' Old times when we were rebounding, we were running and we were checking. Maybe it is the old school unis. Whatever, I'm not superstitious but if something works, if it ain't broke why fix it? We just keep building on it but I hope some of those guys back in the prehistoric days appreciated the MAC.
On building and improving and how that showed tonight…
Just look at our defense, look at our rebounding, we're getting loose balls. That's what grinding is. That is, Mike and I talk about that a lot. That isn't old school, that is winning school. People have to be able to grind, get physical and get after it a little bit. This is a physical, this is a good basketball team. They did not play their best tonight. They're much better than they played. I'm sure we had a little bit to do with it but they looked out of sync a little bit. I'm very impressed with Minnesota. I said I'm not sure that they're the best team in the league. There's three or four teams that are up there right now with Indiana still and of course, Purdue and Wisconsin, but they're right in that group. They might have been the hottest team coming in and so, in that respect we had to raise our game a level and I thought we did that.
Minnesota Head Coach Richard Pitino
Opening Statement...
Credit to Michigan State, they were obviously the better team. I thought the first half had a lot of missed shots. Really affected our energy and our discipline, and they had a lot to do with it. They are a good team and will get better and better, and we were not very good at all. So credit to them, we have to learn from it and move on and see if we can steal one from a very good Penn State team.
On difference between the two games against MSU this season…
Free throws. We went to the free throw line 47 times that game and only seven times tonight. So for whatever reason we just didn't get to the line.
On Miles Bridges being a difference maker…
He was terrific in the first half just making skill plays. They have very, very good talent and if Coach Tom Izzo was a normal coach and scheduled normal, they probably would have two or three losses, but you know that's how he is and he knows what he is doing and I'm not questioning him but they are going to get better and better and better. They are one of the most talented teams in the league. Obviously still very young, and when Miles Bridges is healthy you have to look out.
On playing twice already and the takeaway from that…
We were very good the first time against them and we were not very good tonight. I think that they played a very good game. I thought they were very good and we were obviously pretty bad. Give them credit. They were the more physical tough team. We were not. They executed, we did not, and it is almost impossible to win on the road when you shoot 33 percent, get to the foul line seven times, and get out rebounded by 13. Impossible.
On young players playing on the road…
I'll tell you that I've seen great environments here. I think Coach Tom Izzo was a little frustrated and is always a little bit tough. Purdue is a terrific environment. They are both really good and when this place is good it is phenomenal. I felt young today, I definitely felt young today. I'm not sure that was the crowd as opposed to their toughness and they just beat us up not in the fouling way but the toughness. But I definitely thought we looked young today. I haven't felt that way yet.
On sophomore Jordan Murphy's rebounds…
I don't know, its like anything else. You score a bunch of points, normally the best defender goes on you. I'm sure they locked in on that on the scouting report standpoint and said you have to keep him off the glass because he was terrific at our place from a rebounding standpoint. Four rebounds is not enough, Reggie (Lynch) only three rebounds is not enough obviously. We really just from top to bottom were not very good but I think you have to give them a lot of credit. They were very good and we were not.
On the league being very even…
To me it's just, you're ranked, and everyone loves you. It is too early for any of it. We have had five league games. We have a bunch of time left. There are no easy games in this league. Winning on the road is very difficult just because we did it twice early doesn't mean we are going to run through teams on the road, it's very challenging to do. It's a marathon, I told our team a marathon, is 26 miles, and we have run 14. It's not over, we have not arrived and our team understands that. I think that every game is hard in this league.
On all the schedules being different and if he would like to see more spacing…
I would, but my opinion doesn't matter nor should it. I'm one of the youngest coaches our here. I am not questioning why they do it. There is a reason. We are playing Ohio State again soon and we just played them. I don't get it but I am sure there is a reason. I try not to worry about those things.
On junior guard Nate Mason being the guy that keeps the team running…
I do not think that it is just on Nate. Obviously he was not great. I do not think that it was all his fault, we were not setting great screens, I thought the flow was not good. It is not just on Nate to go score points. It is on him to take what the offense gives him. I thought that the screens were not good, I don't think our cuts were good, I don't think our spacing was good. Just top to bottom it was a poor performance. I said that it is the first time that I felt like we were young this year and we have to learn from it.
On freshman guard Joshua Langford's performance outperforming scouting reports…
Not really, I thought that he is one of the best freshman in the country. A McDonald's All-American. He played like a McDonald's All-American, he is a great player and will keep getting better and better as the year goes on.
Michigan State sophomore forward Kenny Goins
On his team's defensive effort …
Yeah, we have to give credit to the coaches, too. The game plan they drew up for us was just unbelievable. We really executed top to bottom. Every guy that came in came in focused and came in with energy, and we got the job done.
On the difference between the first meeting with Minnesota and tonight …
The energy. No doubt it's the energy. Right from the tip. That's what coach was harping on in practice. These last couple games we'd been getting off to these slow starts and trying to fight our way back. We really made it a point of emphasis to get on top and hold the lead, and that's exactly what we did as soon as the ball went up.
On the return of the Izzone …
The Izzone was great, it was great to have the students back. The alumni did their thing, but there's nothing like a bunch of 20-year-olds jumping around in the lower bowl.
On if it means anything to be in first place at this point in the season …
We're not satisfied at all. We're still hungry. We really have to keep this going, because the second half of our season is going to get a lot harder as we go forward and play a couple bigger teams. We're not satisfied - we want to hold that first place.
On playing with Miles Bridges back in the lineup …
We kind of found a little bit of depth when he was gone, playing different guys and stuff. There's always an adjustment period getting a guy back, especially one that is going to play as many minutes as him. We had our growing pains with him getting back, but I think we're starting to find our rhythm and hit that mid-season stride.
Michigan State freshman guard Joshua Langford
On his play tonight …
I feel like my teammates did a great job of finding me, getting me to the right spots, and I just converted. I feel like I came in defensive minded - just trying to get myself going on defense. That helped me to play better on offense.
On the team's defensive effort tonight …
We just wanted to come in and follow the game plan, follow the scouting report. And we wanted to make sure to play the percentages, we haven't been playing percentages as well as we can. Last game against Penn State we kind of had a letdown, but this game - we wanted to come out with a chip on our shoulder and I feel like we did that.
On his team playing a complete, well rounded game …
It's really satisfying. It makes us all feel good that we're starting to click on all cylinders. Everyone is starting to find their zone, and really play within themselves. But we're not satisfied. We still have that chip on our shoulder, and we haven't done anything yet. We're just going to keep it going, keep having good practices, and try to get that win against Ohio State.
On the difference between the first meeting with Minnesota and tonight …
The energy. I feel like last game we didn't come out with nearly as much energy or focus. Today we wanted to come in, like I said, with that chip on our shoulders, locked in, hone in on defense, and that's what we did.
On potentially finding a comfortable rotation …
Everybody is settling into their roles really well. It just feels good to be able be out there and to see everybody playing the way they know they can play. Hopefully we can take it to Ohio State.
Michigan State freshman forward Miles Bridges …
On the energy out of the gate …
That was our main focus. These last few games and practices we've been coming out really sluggish. We knew if we came out strong that we would have the chance to win.
On potentially finding a comfortable rotation …
That just goes along with our team chemistry. I'm comfortable with anybody on the floor. We're all comfortable with each other. If we continue to make shots, get people open, and screen, we'll be good.
On looking more comfortable on the court tonight …
I just got it all off my chest after I made my first three. I'm good driving the lanes - I did all that today. It was once I hit my first three, that's when I really got into the game.
On the team's defensive effort tonight …
They have great guards and great big men. For the big men, our main focus was just boxing them out and getting them on the glass, then we'll have a great chance to win.
On different guys having big games each night …
That's what is good about us - we have so many weapons. Josh (Langford), Eron (Harris), Matt (McQuaid), Tum Tum attacking, Cassius (Winston), of course Nick (Ward) - we have a lot of weapons and it's basically pick your poison with us.
On the mentality going forward …
We can't be satisfied. We need to continue to come out with this mindset, and if we do we'll have a great chance to win.
