Everything Tom Izzo Said Ahead Of MSU's Sweet 16 Matchup Vs. Kansas State

The Spartans and Wildcats will do battle on Thursday night in New York City...

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo met with the media following the Spartans' practice at Madison Square Garden ahead of their Sweet 16 game against Kansas State.

Here's everything Izzo had to say:

Opening Statement:

"What a privilege it is. First of all, it's great to be in the Sweet 16, but to have it in New York, Madison Square Garden, [which] we all know is the mecca of basketball...It's been a big thrill for us.

"We know that we're going to play a good team in Kansas State. It's been an incredible journey, especially this last month and a half, and yet we're playing some of our better basketball. We've kind of alternated between our offense and our defense, and sooner or later, I'd like to put the two together. If we could ever have both working at the same time, I think we would be even a better team, and yet last weekend our defense kind of carried us, which a lot of times is needed in the NCAA Tournament.

"Excited to be here. Proud of my team and what they've accomplished so far, and yet have great respect for [coach] Jerome [Tang] and what he's done at Kansas State and their basketball team."

Which MSU player must be catalyst in getting offense, defense working together:

"Well, I don't think there's any question, it's A.J. [Hoggard]. Your quarterback has to orchestrate, and he's done a much better job."

On Michigan State's shooting woes in first two rounds:

"I think last game we didn't shoot the ball really well, and I thought we had some decent shots. We just missed some shots. Over a conference season, we're a team that shot almost 40 percent from three, so the sample size of two games, I don't think it's in anybody's head. We just didn't shoot it as well in those two games.

"I think we'll shoot it better if we get our running game going. I think that'll help. I think this game will be up and down. I think they want to run, we want to run, and yet at the end of the day, you've got to make shots, no matter who you are. That helps you win.

"At the end of the day, though, the other thing that helps you is your defense travels, and over the years, it's helped me a lot."

Last Time MSU Had 3 Guards Who Impacted Game On Offense, Defense Like Hoggard, Walker, Akins

"You know, it's been a while. I get back in the day with Mateen [Cleaves] and Charlie [Bell] and if you call Morris [Peterson] a guard, but he probably wasn't a guard so you're probably right. We got him to guard people, and we had two defenders that were off the charts, and now we have three guys that can really guard the ball.

"Yet, as you said, now that Jaden is starting to shoot it better, A.J. is shooting it better and distributing it better, I think I'd have to agree. I thought the best one I had maybe was a Gary Harris. He could guard you on one end and score it on the other.

"But I've got three guys that — and Tyson, can't be fooled by his size, just like [Kansas State has] a guard you can't be fooled by his size either, (Markquis Nowell).

"But Tyson is a very good defender. Probably doesn't get as much credit as he did at Northeastern, where he was Defensive Player of the Year, because he is a very good defender."

On Jerome Tang Taking Over A Roster With 2 Players And Turning K-State Into A Sweet 16 Team

"Well, he's used the transfer portal well, and it's worked pretty well for him. I think the other thing, though, is you look at him — and this is taking nothing away from him — but he is an experienced, non-experienced head coach. I spent 12 or 13 years with Jud Heathcote, and that really helped prepare me.

"I remember Jud saying one time, would you rather take a smaller job just so you can say you're the head coach, or would you rather prepare for Indiana and Michigan and Purdue every day. I think that helped me. I think Scott Drew really helped Jerome. They built that program. They built it together just like I built mine with my assistants over the years.

"If you watch them, I think he was given a lot of power just like I was at the end [of my time as an assistant]. I think Scott had a lot of faith in Jerome, so he had more than just suggestive power that sometimes assistants have.

"I think he was — Roy Williams was born to take over a bigger job. Some people leave early and work their way up through the ranks like Bill Self did. Some people stay like I did or Jerome did and prepare yourself that way.

"I think he deserves a lot of credit. I think Scott Drew deserves a lot of credit, and I think it shows that we need our assistants. Assistants are more valuable than sometimes any of us give them. I think he did a lot for that Baylor program, and that's why they had the success they had. And Scott allowed them to and helped prepare him to be a head coach, and so I'm sure he's very grateful of that, too."

On Tyson Walker And What Makes New York City Guards Different:

"Well, you know, he's not from the heart of the city, but he does have that swagger about him. His is a little more — I think sometimes the New York swagger is a very cocky swagger, and sometimes that's good. You've got to be — he's kind of had the happy medium. He's got enough cockiness to be confident, and yet he's an unbelievable kid.

"At his size, he wants to guard you, but he also wants to take big shots. He's the best two-way player I've had probably since Gary, where he can do it on both ends. And that's so valuable to a team, and it's so good to be able to tell other scorers that he can get you 30 on some nights and he can shut down the other players.

"I don't know if it is New York City. Unfortunately, I don't recruit enough out here. But Tyson would definitely give me a lot of reasons. He's been an unbelievable kid. I think he was humble. He came from Northeastern. He's appreciative. He gave one of the all-time great speeches after we got beat by Duke on just how appreciative he was to be able to be on those kind of stages. And then this year the stage is even bigger because it's Madison Square Garden. It's his home grounds, and it is the Sweet 16.

"It's been fun to watch him grow, and hopefully he'll play well. I don't think he'll be nervous. Got me my pizza last night. I'm looking for the cab ride today."

On Tyson Walker's Excitement Level To Play In New York For The Sweet 16:

"I just told him, no old girlfriends better show up around me, that's all I told him.

"You know, he was excited. The joke about the pizza and the cab, I always tell my players, you help us win the first game and I'll get you through to the second and the weekend because we've had some success in that over the years.

"And in between games last weekend, that's when I talked to them, this is a privilege and an honor, and it's something you should dream about when you're out shooting baskets outside. A chance to play in Madison Square Garden which, growing up in New York, it's probably even bigger than it is growing up in the Midwest because you know what the Garden is. I just like walking through the Garden and seeing the pictures of all the great performers, the great boxers like Muhammad Ali and things that have gone on here are incredible.

"He was excited. He's kind of a reserved kid. He gets excited. He gets angry sometimes, but he's a pretty reserved guy. I just know it meant a lot to him. I know it meant a lot to his family. What a great experience, to play Duke in Mike's last game, and then play against Kansas State in his home ground in arguably the greatest arena in the world. Pretty cool. Pretty cool for him."

On Izzo's Memories Of Competing Against Kansas State During His First Two Seasons As Head Coach:

"Yeah, I was mad at Jud. He scheduled those two games. I think my first year I went Kansas State, Oklahoma State. My schedule was off the chart because he got some home games at the end of his career, and then I was stuck with the aftermath of that.

"You know, I remember going down there, and it was a long time ago, though, and I don't think it's going to have anything to do with tomorrow's game. I just think that I've been blessed to be in it long enough that I have memories like that. I can remember back to some of the teams we played and what we did.

"As far as anything that's going to benefit me or make me fearful, not at all."

On Tyson Walker, Markquis Nowell Moving Up From Mid-Major Programs And Making An Impact At Power 5 Level:

"Well, it's like everything else. They've earned their keep. [Walker] played there a couple years. He played for a very good coach, and that was one of the things. Then, when we got to know him and his family. He's a hell of a kid, he's a good student, he does things the right way. He hangs his hat on his defense. It's almost un-American and illegal now, but he does it and he's proud of it. You've just got to love a kid like that.

"But he works. I think he's hungry, too. I think some guys that are at this level all the time are transferring from this level, there's too much entitlement. He's not entitled. I absolutely love that about him. He wasn't entitled at all, and if you could have heard his speech after the Duke game, it was kind of about that.

"It was, 'I dreamed of playing in places like this, in games like this against the competition.' So he wasn't going to miss out on that opportunity.

"I think that chip on your shoulder is really good. I've still got a chip on my shoulder because of where I came from. And I think too many times those chips are taken off these kids when they're 10, 11, 12 years old and they're changing AAU teams and high schools and junior highs and whatever else they do. He spoke highly of the place he was at. He spoke well of the coach. He just did all the things that I would appreciate anyway.

"I've been lucky to have him, and I think every once in a while when I'll say, hey, we're taking a bus trip to Chicago and normally you fly, I said, for me as a Division II guy, those bus trips were eight, nine hours. But Ty, you've taken a few of those, two, right? We laughed about it.

"But if you haven't done it, you've been so spoiled and entitled that you never done it that you wouldn't appreciate it as much. He appreciates things, and I appreciate him for that."

On Why Madison Square Garden Is Special:

"Yeah, I've always been impressed. We played Kentucky here in the Tournament of Champions and we played Duke here. I've set a lot of records here, helped Mike set his record for the most wins. Unfortunately, those records were at my...expense. Kind of a four-letter word, and under guys show expenses a little more than that, but that's exactly right.

"But there is the thrill of playing here. When you talk to — for us, the Steve Smiths and Magic Johnsons, there's nothing like the mecca. There's nothing like Madison Square Garden.

"When we have the opportunity to play here, I always talk about it as a privilege. We get to play in a lot of great places, but it's not just college basketball, either, as you know. It's basketball, period. It doesn't matter what it is. This place is known for it, and you know what, I'm not saying I've had a lot of great success here, so this will be a good weekend to change that."