Post-Game Quotes: Maryland
1/4/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo
Opening statement…
Well, interesting game. I thought with 12 minutes gone in the game, I don't know what the score was, it was 20s to 20s, and (Mark Turgeon) looked down at me and he said, 'Can you believe this?' Because last year, neither one of us scored 20 points it seemed like for the first three quarters of the game. You know, we couldn't make a shot and both teams were making a lot of shots. It wasn't to my pleasing that we were giving up shots, but it was impressive. I thought they played awfully well early and then we started clamping down a little better defensively and I thought when we clamped down better defensively, we got our running game going. We had our running game going and you know, we got some wide open 3s, so our barrage kept going, but that's a good team. I mean, that ending, you know, we went on a hell of a run in the second half, but I'll tell you, that point guard is the real deal (Anthony Cowan) and (Kevin) Huerter is really good, and that (Bruno) Fernando kid is going to be really, really good. So this team will win a lot of games. I really believe that.
I thought the most impressive too, stat for us, to have seven turnovers. Our guys were more fired up about that than almost the win, and the other one that is kind of perfect for this team to start the Big Ten season off and that's 30 assists out of 32 baskets. That kind of tells what kind of team I have, most unselfish team around. So I was pleased with 90 percent of the game. I thought getting Jaren Jackson (Jr.) off to a good start was big. Kenny Goins came in and played pretty good. You know that Nick Ward did some great things and Cassius (Winston) I thought ran our team, but I thought a couple of things that don't show up in a box score - Miles (Bridges) had one of his more solid games, you know, he had seven assists and six rebounds, and he just made plays. It's something that I haven't seen him do myself. His defense was a lot better so I give him a lot of credit. Nick, we went to him at certain times and I thought he really did a pretty good job. We got a little lazy, all of our bigs, on the step-ups and that's why Cowan kind of hurt us. It wasn't all Cassius' fault, and then the unsung hero might've been (Matt) McQuaid the second half, he guarded Huerter a lot and the kid only had two points, but he's a hell of a player and I like that team a lot, but I like mine a lot, too.
On the defense clamping down being a badge of honor…
There really isn't (a better honor), you know. It's kind of funny, because some guys thought my practice, Mateen (Cleaves) was by there, and that's the one thing he said to me when he left, you know, was remember to bring your defense and I kind of told my guys that in pregame, you know, that defense travels, defense is consistent, defense is something to rely on. I was worried. Our schedule got a little bit backwards. We played all those big games in that 13-game stretch, and then you know the break, and Oakland was a very good team. And then we played some teams not as good because we had to move some games because of that Big Ten stuff, and the last four games we've scored 100 points and you're making 60 percent of your shots. It's easy to get up. It's easy to feel good about yourself. I said, 'We're going to find out if this team can do that when we aren't feeling as good about ourselves.' I thought for the most part, other than that early stretch, we really did a good job with our defense and it really got our running game going and we rebounded okay, I wouldn't say great, but that's a good rebounding team too. They were plus 10 coming in, and I think we're plus 12 or something so, it was a war. It was a physical game. That was a Big Ten game that Jud (Heathcote) would've been proud of.
On Xavier Tillman's contribution being a pivotal point in the game…
I've been looking for a guy that likes to dive on the floor and get his elbows bloody and his knees, you know, Antonio (Smith) was here this week, too, so maybe those guys are rubbing off on this team but, you know, he plays with some passion. We're trying to get him more minutes. He's been one of the bright spots. I thought that was a big key, and you know, there a was a stretch, believe it or not, when kind of a big shot that the players all said after was Tum's (Nairn) 3, you know? It kind of got us rolling a little bit more. So that's what I said, you know, I don't know what we ended up with but our bench only had two turnovers. Our bench got a bunch of assists, a bunch of points. Our bench did a hell of a job.
On getting Jaren Jackson Jr. more involved…
Well we told Jaren, if he would run, he gets that trailer 3s and I brought him in today and I showed him some things from the Duke game, and I showed him some things that Miles (Bridges) has done last year where he got some of those, but I need to post him some, too, you know. The problem is he got in foul trouble, you only played 16 or 17 minutes. You know, a couple of crazy fouls, but I'm starting to see him coming, you know? I thought he did a great job, you know we've been relying on him to play defense and I think I've done a poor job of maybe spending the time with him to talk to him about what I think he can do offensively. He's such a nice kid he doesn't say nothing, doesn't complain. I told him today I need guys that complain a little bit. Not like Draymond (Green) used to, but just a little bit.
On Kenny Goins hitting 3-pointers…
Well, it is important and tonight we played him at the three some, we played him at the four some when got into foul trouble with Jaren (Jackson Jr.) so we can move him around. We played Miles (Bridges) at the four some. We played him at the three some. We can move him around. We had a lot of interchangeable parts, which I think is going to be good for this team when we face different teams that we're going to have to play, but you know, Kenny was really shooting it well this summer and then when he got hurt there with the ankle, then he came back. He wasn't shooting well and I said, you spend more time in here, you can shoot 3s because I chewed him out for shooting a 3 a week ago, and I was glad that he just stuck it in my face to be honest with you and I enjoyed that.
On Xavier Tillman's development since the start of the season…
Well, you know, I'm proud of a lot of these guys because I think they've improved from last year which is very good and they haven't, there's no egos involved, you know? I think Tillman is a perfect case, you know? I mean, he could be upset, he's not playing a ton of minutes and we put him on the scout team and he's just gotten better and better. The weight loss, he's gotten better because of that. He is a couple things that I didn't know. Number one, when he lost that weight, it changed how he learns, how he moves. He's got mitts for hands, and that ball, once it touches those things, hard to get it away from him. He's done very well in school. I didn't think he was as a good a student. The one thing he has, I told Antonio Smith this week, you know I said, 'Antonio, he's like you and (Aloysius) Anagonye you know, he'd just as soon hit you than look at you. We need one of those guys. He sets screens, he rolls, he does the dirty work, and he enjoys it. Before he's done, I've been really impressed with the intelligent part of his game. Like, today, him and Jaren (Jackson Jr.), I've got two freshmen that really understand the game, so hopefully we keep building on that.
On his team's depth…
Well that is what I liked. I haven't seen our depth, our depth hasn't scored a lot of points in a lot of these games early and we need McQuaid a lot, but you know when Nick got a little tired and Jaren got in foul trouble getting Kenny in there, getting X (Xavier Tillman) in there. Gavin (Schilling) had a basket and did some good things defensively. As you say we can rotate some guys. We got Ben (Carter) in there a little bit at the end just because he hasn't played much and we wanted to make sure that we start to bring him back slowly but surely and so I think that depth it plays to our part because of this, I don't have selfish guys. One day it might be him, one day it might be Gavin because he might have to guard a four. One day it might have to be Ben because he can do some things as far as pass the ball in that there are a lot of different options and if you watch our bench some of those are still pulling for the guys that are out there. I can't tell you what that means to me and I hope it's something the fans, people can appreciate because in this world of Twitter and commericaling and this Twitter world where it's all about me they just don't play like that way and it's time after time. I mean that was the first semester it seemed all cool and now we're into the Big Ten season. You saw the same thing and I guess I'm blessed for that.
On how lethal his team's offense can be…
Well I think it can score more points, but I wouldn't want to be relying on the 3. If you ask me 28 is probably too many for us. Nick's got to have more touches, but the one thing Nick is doing is he's starting to pass the ball out. X is passing the ball. If we can get it in then get it out those are better 3s. So, we got some 3s off of kick outs, we got some 3s off of breaks, and some 3s off of plays we've ran, but 56 shots, we're hoping to get 60-some. 28 3s that's quite a few. I'd like to see that down around 24 maybe, but I didn't think there were many bad ones so I guess that's good, but I don't think we want to live and die by the 3. In this league that's usually somewhat disastrous even though times are changing and still some balance is good and I think we have the ability to have balance and that's something that we've got to make sure we keep reminding because the 3 looks pretty and sexy, oh I guess you can't say that anymore, the 3 looks good, but at the same time it's the meat and potatoes. It's my man getting on the floor. Jaren Jackson is on the floor. My two freshmen are spending time on the floor and that excites me as much as the 3s.
On the fans and the crowd...
Well those old Izzone people you know they're away now and they got to be home and go to work and you know they don't get to get away. Most of them are probably married and that got that ball and chain around their ankle and now they get some freedom. They get to be out there, they get to act like idiots again. The guys with the grass skirts they were great. You know the problem is with the Big Ten Network and Twitter and all the things, some of these guys are going to have to explain to their kids how at 35, 40, 45 they look like such knuckleheads, you know what I mean, doing things that you wouldn't really think that those kind of guys, but I love them for that. I mean the shirts were great. You know Mark Hollis has done such a good job with those kids and I thought that was great. I thought you know I can't tell you what it means to me to have Mark Dantonio there and our strength coach he was getting more excited than I was when those guys were getting on the floor. I mean that was important. I'm proud of our fans for the hand they gave Mark (Dantonio), deservingly so and you know Suzy (Merchant) wins last night so we're just going to try to pull for hockey this weekend and us this weekend and keep it rolling.
On if his team has changed their focus...
In all honesty, we had about three meetings in the last four days because we had some time and we had two-a-days once, but we didn't align it that way. We talked more about things, we showed film, we tried to explain, we went over what other teams are doing and how important these different things are if you're really going to be a good basketball or a great basketball team and I think a little bit is they got a little casual over some those games. Coaches never want to admit it, but I think when you're up 40 you play different, but I was pleased at the end of the game to hear Miles say, 'anybody turns it over' and he went on. God, I was proud of him and that meant a lot too.
On McQuaid's defensive performance…
I thought that was the difference in the second half. You know for some reason Josh struggled a little bit tonight. He's been maybe one of my most consistent players and you know Huerter is a hard guy to guard. He's very good at using screens I mean he's a pro at using screens and we were always trailing them and for some reason. You know Josh got caught a little bit inside and Matt saw that and he stayed outside. He still hurt us some, but second half I mean the guy gets two points and I give Matt a lot of credit for that. So McQuaid as you say shooting the ball better, he's playing better defensively, and tonight he has even rebounds. Did he lead us in rebounds? I'm going to get on Miles and Nick, but he led us in rebounding, he has five assists you know a complete game and that's kind of if you look at it eight, 15, 10, 16 you know six, six, eight points (points by individuals) were all the same. Nobody got more than eight shots. You know we shared the ball with 30 assists you know there were a lot of positives, but as I listen to people around the community talk about what this team is, it's a very good team, but we've got our weaknesses. We have to keep getting better every day and that's going to be our job as a staff and hopefully the leaders. Hopefully guys like Tum (Nairn Jr.), Cassius, Miles to keep us focused on what we got to do because now we got to take our band on the road. We've played kind in some opponent's courts, but not maybe like we will against Ohio State so that will be another big test for us.
On Miles playmaking ability…
I think a little bit of both. You know when we wanted to get the ball in Miles hands more and so we had seen something in film last year that that we had success with and that was it to be honest and so we thought we could run some of that stuff and we ran it and ran it and ran it to death. You know when Cassius is coming off, he was making some good decisions tonight and we looked like a basketball team tonight. You know we took a punch early and the crowd got into the game, the players got into the game and I'm telling you we beat a good team now, I'm not apologizing for you know they had an injury. Okay they had an injury, but that is a good basketball team and I promise you is going to win some games.
Maryland Head Coach Mark Turgeon
Opening Statement…
I thought Michigan State was terrific all night. They will probably say their defense was not great early, but after that it was terrific. We were as good as we could be in the first four minutes. I look up and we are down two. They made some shots we were not expecting them to make. They were terrific. They shot it well, executed at a high level, really guarded us well. I thought we competed in transition defense and on the boards until about the 12-minute mark of the second half, then we just kind of didn't have it. They just kept grinding us from there and built the lead up more and more. They are a heck of a team. A really good team that played great tonight and shot it. I have done this a long time and have not had many teams make 16 3-pointers against us. They are good, and when they shoot like that, they're great.
On how good the Spartans are…
Tonight, they were good. I can count on one hand losses like that, numbers wise, and I've been doing it a long time. They were good. When they can be that deep, they can shoot the ball from all positions, and their low-post game is so good. They are tough to guard. They executed at a high level. What separates them this year is they're really guarding it, defending it. You don't get anything easy, and you definitely don't get anything easy by the rim, so it makes it tough.
On the fouls impacting the game and the way the game was called…
It was a huge impact, because we had a lob play, and you're not allowed to chuck guys when you go to the basket and the point guard stepped out and chucked him, and the foul was on our guy. So that was the hard part for me. But with that said, there are things we have to fix up too. We can't go in the tank, and we did and they made a couple shots in that stretch. We tried to go zone, and we couldn't zone them. A lot of credit has to go to them more so than us being in foul trouble.
On Kenny Goins making 3-pointers...
That's his (Goins) first two in his career, right? It was not on our scouting that he can shoot threes, that's for darn sure. He shot it like he had been working on it, and he continued to shoot it like he had been working on them. Those were big. (Jaren) Jackson hit a couple, and he hit a couple. We maybe could have separated ourselves a little bit early and got a lead, but we couldn't because those guys knocked down shots.
On how much Maryland misses Justin Jackson…
I don't know if we had five Justin's it would have made a difference tonight. They are a heck of a team. We are who we are. We just have to get better. And I know this sounds crazy when you lose by 30, but we got better tonight. There were times when we were pretty good out there against a team that played out of their mind, shot the ball out of their mind. I'm going to take the positives out of this before we head home to play Iowa on Sunday.
On Michigan State's defense in the beginning vs later on in game…
I just think they, they were more committed to it. I mean you can ask Tom (Izzo). We couldn't get any good looks. We couldn't go by them off the dribble, couldn't get separation on ball screens and then we couldn't come off screens and get shots. They were just really good defensively. We had like a four or five-minute stretch where we just couldn't score, and I think it was an 18-point game at the time, but we just couldn't score.
On the tempo of the game...
I thought we really competed in transition. We competed on the boards early, so I was pleased with everything. They just kept making shots. When you're playing a team like that, that's that good on their home floor, you can't have droughts like we had. We had like two or three long droughts out there. It's hard for us. I think we had less scorers. We had guys in foul trouble who didn't score with us, so it was difficult. We're still trying to figure it out guys, we lost Justin (Jackson) five days ago. We're plugging guys, and we plugged the big line up in, and we were a little bit better in the big line up. Now we have to get better with our small lineup, so we will try to figure that out. But, we have guys that have to learn totally different things, because Justin did that for us in a small lineup, so it is going to take us some time.
On foul trouble impacting Kevin Huerter and Anthony Cowan Jr.…
It's hard. They were keyed in on Kevin, that's one thing to answer your question, you lose Justin and they key in on Kevin a little bit more. We are running a lot more stuff for Kevin and it's hard for him to get a clean look, and when he does; it rushes. We will keep plugging on it. He put 10 shots up and scored 16 points, he played well. And then Anthony is just so quick and relentless. I don't like Anthony dribbling all the time, that's not the way we want to play, but tonight at times that's kind of how we had to just to score.
Freshman forward Xavier Tillman
On what was different about tonight...
The energy and the crowd were fantastic. There was so much love and energy. That was the main thing. The game was more intense because it was the third Big Ten game. It just meant more to us.
On his performance against Maryland...
Just happy that I got playing time early so then once I saw that I got that I wanted to contribute right away and give it my all so that I could keep getting in my game.
On tonight's energy...
Those are one of the controllables. I try to do that every time in practice, games and walk throughs because that is something that I can control every time.
On preparation for this game...
We were just locked in. We really wanted this game for us personally just because we hold each other to high standards, so this game was just more personal to us than anything else.
On sharing the ball...
We love each other. We are all brothers. We want everybody to eat and everybody to get baskets and everybody to contribute to the game. That is really it. We want everybody to have fun on the court. so we like to share the ball.
Freshman forward Jaren Jackson Jr.
On tonight's overall performance...
It was just one of those games. We have been practicing in that gym all week. We just felt really confident going out there. I think speaking for everybody we felt confident. When you hit a lot of shots and lock down on defense you have a great outcome.
On having success with no matter what they wanted to do...
It was a good flow and mix. Nick (Ward) was battling inside, and whenever he got doubled we were able to move the ball which created a lot of options for threes. Even Josh (Langford), his pin-downs and classic mid-range jumper. Everybody was really getting involved; it was just a great game.
On the turnover improvement...
Bad starts. We are kind of know for slow starts because we will be close with teams early, and we will break it open eventually. We know that when we bear down we won't have as many turnovers. We didn't do that at first but later on we did it.
On the focus of the team...
We have to be focused because it is the Big Ten. We knew going into it that Maryland was one of the best teams there, and they were going to give us a fight no matter what.
On being No. 1 in the country...
To us that just means that we are playing good right now. In the long run, we want to be ranked No.1 at the end obviously. I think it is kind of cool to look at that one on the TV, but other than that we are just trying to play hard.
Sophomore guard/forward Miles Bridges
On having a good time tonight...
That is our main thing. We just want to have fun out there. When we play defense and run it is easy to smile.
On sharing the ball...
I wasn't trying to force anything, and we were not trying to force anything. We were just trying to get stops and get out on the break and play our game.
On tonight's 30 point win...
We just wanted to out-play them today, and I think we did a good job of that. Rebounding, defending and getting all of the hustle plays.
On importance to play strong tonight...
It was really important because it gives us confidence going into the Big Ten season. We have a tough away game against Ohio State, and we are trying to bring the same energy.
On the crowd's energy...
The alumni game is always fun. They bring the most energy, no offense to the students, but they bring a lot of energy. It was really fun out there, and I was just glad to see that everybody was able to make it.
Junior guard Matt McQuaid
On 30 team assists on 32 baskets...
First of all we have been emphasizing turnovers. You don't turn the ball over you get more shots. We did a really good job and made really good passes and people were knocking down shots. It looked good.
On seven total turnovers...
We are not being more cautious, but we are being careful but still playing our game with the ball. We are going to keep trying to make plays and keep moving that ball around.
