Tom Izzo Three Quotations

I always think it hurts it some, and I don't think it's fair. If your top two or three teams don't carry that flag, I think the conference is looked down upon. I think the image of the conference is based more on the marquee teams; the strength of the conference is based more on the total teams. You would think they should go together, but I don't think they do.

He'll be out three to six weeks. It's a big loss for us. We're not the most physical team, and he brings a little physicality. And maybe more importantly, he's a guy who can cover people on the perimeter or inside. We don't have many players who are quick enough to do that, like Alan Anderson did.

I think that will be one of the keys to the season, will we survive if we lose two games, three games, maybe even five? ... The problem nowadays with the Internet and talk radio -- all of a sudden everyone's getting down on you, and your confidence can go down.

It is a win-win-win. I guess on paper, if he goes, it looks like it's a lose for me. It's a lose if you look at the small picture, but a real win if you look at the big picture. The potential of maybe having three first-round picks is pretty impressive.

Paul, Mo, Shannon were just not the same players tonight. For 12 of 13 games, I thought that our three star players were as consistent as any group I've coached over the years, and tonight for whatever reason, we weren't as consistent.

I was proud of my team, staff and assistant coaches, it was a heck of a job. They were a good basketball team and put more pressure on us than Wisconsin. Our shooting and rebounding was very good, and it helps when we only turn the ball over three times in the second half.

We didn't execute as well in the last three minutes. We were shooting almost 50% against a good team, we just couldn't get it done down the stretch.

We have not had three guys as prolific as those three. They've been pretty special, and they're good guys that are going to graduate, making them the total package.

The really sad part is, I thought this team had enough talent to go a long way. We had three really good players, but we just didn't have enough depth and we were never as consistent or tough as we needed to be.

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

It's a nice honor to have three players recognized. I think it speaks not only to the talent of those players but also their unselfishness to be willing to share awards with their teammates, much like the Detroit Pistons had four all-stars, but no one who started in the all-star game.

It's kind of out of my hands and kind of out of his hands, for the most part. That puts a lot of pressure on the doctors. ... To medical people, three or four or five days makes a big difference.

I'm more disappointed how we played in the first half. It kind of set the tone for the game. In the second half, we probably outplayed them in every facet of the game. ... We just didn't execute in the last three minutes.

Illinois is not going to be worried because they beat us two times or three times. They're not going to have a letdown. They've got a great team.

He's one of the more improved players in the league. I loved him as a freshman. Now he's putting the ball on the floor and shooting threes. He's a tough cover because he grew up an inside four-man and is starting to be a three man. He can do both.