Izzo: For Michigan State Basketball, 'Opening Night is Exciting'
East Lansing, MI – Michigan State's start to the season went according to plan following an 83-67 beatdown over a short-handed Eastern Michigan team.
MSU got off to a slow start as they worked out the kinks from being off for so long, but eventually, the Spartans found their footing, easily defeating the Eagles.
"Opening night is exciting, especially for Josh (Langford) and Joey (Hauser), who haven't played in a couple years, and that was a little bit of a tribute to the nine turnovers between them," MSU coach Tom Izzo said. "But there were some serious positives, and there were a few negatives, and those negatives were things that we gotta correct, we gotta get better at. Turnovers were one of them."
Hauser and Langford played well, despite combining for multiple giveaways – due to long layoffs, it was to be expected.
"That's gonna happen to Josh (Langford) and Joey (Hauser) for a little bit, but I love the way Joey bounced back second half; probably had an average game, and he was a rebound from having a double-double," said Izzo.
However, Aaron Henry, a player who significantly impressed him, led the team in assists and tied for second in rebounds behind Hauser's nine boards.
"I was very, very, very impressed – Foster (Loyer) played awfully well. Yet, Aaron Henry maybe had as good of a game. He was too unselfish tonight. We've gotta get him more buckets; we gotta get him more shots. But some of those he passed up … he acted like a true captain," Izzo said. "I was very impressed with the camaraderie of our team."
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