Tom Izzo criticizes Michigan State's opponent after blowout win
After Michigan State blew out St. Cloud State 101-46 in an exhibition on Friday, Spartans coach Tom Izzo took 40 minutes Saturday morning to "lay into" St. Cloud players for their "embarrassing" performance, according to Andy Rennecke of the St. Cloud Times.
Rennecke reports that St. Cloud coach Matt Reimer arranged the meeting and that Izzo "didn't hold back in calling out the Huskies' lack of leadership and their individualistic tendencies."
• SCHNELL: Big Ten preview: Wisconsin way out in front
In a 2012 exhibition, the Huskies were competitive with the Spartans in a 62-49 loss, and Reimer said he thinks Izzo was as shocked as St. Cloud was at how they played on Friday.
Izzo placed blame on the Huskies' captains for the team's lack of leadership and told them how Michigan State players in the past have cost the team wins because they were too focused on themselves.
One of the players who Izzo specifically critiqued, junior point guard Jordan Poydras, said the words from Izzo were deserved and beneficial.
"I think it helped us get our heads on straight," Poydras said. "It's nice hearing that feedback from somebody who has been around the game so long. He knows so much. For him to talk to us, and the things he said, really means a lot."
• DAVIS: Ten burning questions for 2014-15
Reimer also felt the meeting would help the team going forward. St. Cloud watched the Spartans practice the same morning and later held a video session after Izzo's talk.
"I can't thank Coach Izzo enough for what he did and to talk to our guys that frankly," he said. "He told them the way they played Friday night was embarrassing. We needed that."
- Molly Geary
