Tom Izzo Games Quotations

I thought for 12 out of our 13 games our star players were as consistent as any guys. Tonight, for some reason, we just weren't as consistent. We looked like a team that came off a four-day break.

I think it was the biggest disappointment of all the NCAA games we played in. We didn't have the season we wanted to have. We didn't perform to what I think our capabilities were. I think this is one of the few times in my career here as a head coach that we didn't get done what I think we were capable of getting done, culminating with the lack of a very good performance on that last night.

I think it's really important, for two reasons. No. 1, for the games themselves, and No. 2, so that we don't get a false sense of where we are.

I still think we've got a lot to play for. The problem is the games aren't going to get any easier.

We played pretty well in both Illinois games and he just made some plays. Tonight, we found a way to clamp down a little bit more. Defensively, we didn't really give him a single look.

We have a long way to go but we are still in the race. I'm not giving up on the Big Ten, but we just aren't in control so we just have to let it play out and focus on getting better every day until the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament. We have lots of big games we need to focus on, but it feels good to be home.

We didn't get beat by some chopped-liver team. I mean, don't kid yourself: They're going to win a lot of games -- a lot of games.

We've got a good enough team to win the next six games and we've got a good enough team to lose the next six games and I think a lot of teams are in that boat in this league.

Those two statistics are ridiculous. But as down as I am and as our fans are, this season wasn't a total disaster. We won 22 games and had some good wins playing maybe the toughest schedule in the country.

This team has been a good free throw-shooting team for years. It wins games for you, it really does.

I see this being a good enough basketball team to win a lot of games yet.

I've been a little soft in practice lately, because I've been paranoid about this three games in six days.

It's a big loss for us in games coming up. It's disappointing because he was playing better. We're not the most physical team, and he brings a little physicality to us. He's a versatile guy who can guard on the perimeter and guard big guys inside.

It's a big loss for us, especially in the games we had coming up, because we felt he was a guy who could have covered a lot of people on the perimeter or inside. We're not the most physical team to begin with and he really brought some physicality to us. But maybe more importantly, I think he's a versatile guy who can guard guards on the perimeter, and he can guard big guys inside. We just don't have many guys who are able to do that.

It reminds you of the NBA draft. If you play well at the end of the year one time, the other 30 games don't matter. There are times we could be a five, six, seven or an eight team. It just depends.

I told them in the huddle that we played Gonzaga and Arizona we played all those overtime games and we've earned the right to win the game. They looked back at me and said, 'Damn right we did.

It's probably two games too many, but at the same time, it's an incredible opportunity, ... And I'm not trying to break anyone's wins record, so what's the difference?

They've had moments when they've been real good and not as good, and so have we. They still have some vulnerability just like everybody in this league does. It was just two games ago that Iowa lost to Northwestern.

If you look at our home and road stats, they're enormously different. Most teams are different, but not enormously different. You get in a little slump, and you don't get the confidence of the home crowd and the home baskets and the home bed. Yeah, I think it affects you a little bit. I really, really do. But I also think you got to be big enough to win some of these games on the road.

You know me, I don't feel like we're ready, but I do think we can get ready in four days. Illinois is playing awfully well, they haven't lost many games in the last couple years, but we're gonna be ready on Thursday, I can promise you that.

You can't win four games because of luck.