MSU's Izzo has Optimism Despite Sluggish Defensive Day vs. Cornell
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EAST LANSING, Mich. --- It seemed like Tom Izzo was going to have, well, a Tom Izzo postgame press conference.
No. 9 Michigan State had just beaten Cornell, 114-97, but that second number is the type of thing that drives Izzo up the wall. He has three things he asks every player to do: defend, rebound, and run. Defend is the first one for a reason; allowing 97 points means not much defending was going on. Izzo joked that his team looked like it was still on Christmas break as he walked up to the lectern.
Surprisingly, Izzo actually seemed to have a lighter touch on Monday night. He didn't pretend that everything was perfect (he'll never do that, anyway), but Izzo still feels confident about the direction of his team heading into Big Ten play, despite some shakier games against Oakland and Cornell.
A full video of Izzo's postgame press conference has been provided by Spartan Nation below. Some more written analysis of the Spartans' game can also be read further down.
Watch Tom Izzo's Presser here:
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Cornell's 97 Points
While surrendering 97 points is never great, the context of the game makes things a little more understandable, as does Cornell's play style. The Big Red already were averaging more than 90 points per game before Monday's game, plus they scored a ton of garbage-time points that made the scoreboard look a bit better. Michigan State was up 26 with 2:31 remaining, but ended up only winning by 17.
"All in all, if we don't have that barrage at the end, we win by 25 points..." Izzo said after the game. "I think I'd feel a lot better about what we did. But there's something about having a team down and being able to put your foot on their throat, as they say, and this team doesn't have that yet."
There is some real truth to that statement. The only team that MSU has truly blown out of the water is East Carolina, though that tendency may have popped up in the next two games against North Carolina and Iowa.
Overall Early-Season Outlook
Again, Izzo is always going to find something to improve, especially when the other team puts 97 on the board. Still, he's quite happy with how the overall early schedule has gone. Michigan State will enter the full conference slate with a 12-1 overall record, including a 2-0 mark in Big Ten play.
"I hate to admit it, but every coach puts down his schedule, and he probably looks at the best-case scenario and the worst-case scenario," Izzo said. "My best-case scenario probably would've been 11-2. My worst-case scenario probably would've been 9-4, 10-3."
MSU's schedule has been truly difficult. Thirteen games in with Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Iowa, Duke, and Penn State is no joke. Even the mid-majors have had their unique difficulties, such as Oakland's zone defense and that no team makes more threes than Cornell.
"We're all learning; we're all growing together," Izzo said. "But 12-1 with the schedule we've played --- and remember, this team, [Cornell], I think is still very good. I still think Oakland's a very good team. We all want to look at the North Carolinas and the Dukes, and rightfully so, but Iowa's a very good team.
"We're making progress. It's getting three or four guys consistently to play well at the same time."
Upcoming Nebraska Game
The next game for the Spartans will also be a major test. Michigan State will be heading on the road to take on 13th-ranked Nebraska, who are one win against 4-8 New Hampshire away from starting 13-0. Students are gone on winter break, but Izzo is still expecting to be going into a snake pit.
"It's going to be fun, going to Nebraska," Izzo said. "You guys [the media] have been there. If you really look at the types of teams they've had, they've had some good teams, they've had some average teams, and that crowd is sensational.
"And everybody says, 'Well, the students are gone.' It has no bearing. That is a unique, unique place."
Spartans-Cornhuskers is set for 9 p.m. ET on Friday night, with it being a Peacock exclusive game.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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