Post Game Quotes: Illinois

Michigan State Head Coach Robyn Fralick

Opening Statements…

What a great night, last home game and a great night to celebrate our seniors, Moira [Joiner] and Tory [Ozment]. I thought our first half was spectacular basketball on both ends of the court and I loved the way our team competed. The fourth quarter, we will need some good improvements from that. But that is a good Illinois team. This is a really good team that has been playing their best basketball, especially, recently. I was grateful that we were able to honor our seniors and beat a good team tonight at the Breslin Center.

On hot start to the game…

They [Illinois] are a really good team, they are hard to guard. They have a lot of kids who can score, I loved our pressure and our energy. I loved our intensity to begin the game and throughout that first half. I thought on both sides of the ball we were playing very connected, energized basketball. Our seniors showed up tonight too. Moira [Joiner] was red hot and Tory [Ozment] came in the game and, as she has all year, just changes the speed of the game. It is a good win against a real good team. It is a bittersweet night as we get to celebrate Mo and Tory. I am so grateful I got this time that I have had with them and I also wish I had more.

On seniors' impact on building the program…

They have so much to do with it. Yesterday we shared a lot about the seniors and our team. The staff got a chance to really share about who they are and what they mean to us. A few things I shared were one, they make every want to be a better Spartan. To really love Michigan State the way they have loved Michigan State through injuries, COVID and a coaching change, their stories are worth paying attention to because it hasn't been easy and a linear story. But they have persevered, endured, worked and continued to improve. They didn't just come back to have another year here, they came back better and they came back to help make us better. I am just so grateful for that and they are everyday kids. Every single day they show up and we know what we are going to get out of them every day. Those are life skills for now and for after Michigan State.

On seniors' performance tonight…

They were electric and I think that senior night is so loaded with emotion. You just never know what that is going to look like or which way that is going to go. I thought their emotion tonight was focused passion. They were just dialed in on a mission. As we keep telling our team, we are playing for something, we have put ourselves in a position to continue to compete for something, we need to play like that and man they really led the way like that.

On upcoming road test at Wisconsin…

We got another tough opponent on the road. We have been able to sort of keep our focus really small and we have to be able to continue to do that. We had to really prepare for Illinois and so it is going to be a quick turnaround and we are going to have to really prepare for Wisconsin who is another good team. They play a very different style, so we really have to zoom in on finishing our regular season well.

On first senior night at Michigan State…

I mean, when they kiss the Spartan head, that is like a forever moment. To be able to do it in a win, to be able to do it and be able to sub them out because there is a lot of games where we may not be able to do that. That is something they have earned; they have earned that moment and earned these moments that they are having right now. I will remember that forever. That was really cool to be a part of.

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