MINNEAPOLIS – Following a rivalry defeat at home, that was far from the response Michigan State was looking for.
The No. 10 Spartans (19-4, 9-3 Big Ten) fell behind by double digits in the first half before a late rally came up short in a 76-73 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday. It’s their second straight defeat after falling by a dozen to Michigan at the Breslin Center last week.
Here are notable quotes from coach Tom Izzo and players following the defeat:
Izzo on the loss against Minnesota, which brought a seven-game losing streak into Wednesday night: “That was a strange game. I can’t figure out why we started out so poorly. I’m very disappointed in my upperclassmen, if I was to be honest, and the coach because the coach has to get a team ready and it’s been three games in a row now that we have not been there at the beginning.”
Point guard Jeremy Fears on Michigan State putting together a third straight poor first half while digging a hole: “That slow start first half is a beast to overcome no matter who you’re playing, where you’re playing.”
Izzo on Jeremy Fears picking up a technical foul for a reverse kick in the groin after being pushed by Langston Reynolds and after being called out by Michigan coach Dusty May this week for dangerous plays: “If he plays that way, he deserves it, OK, and he ain’t going to play that way if I bench him the next game. … I’ve had it with that, too. That’s not what I teach, that’s not what I coach.”
Fears, whose true freshman season at Michigan State was cut short due to a gunshot wound, on if he believes he has crossed a line with his play: “No. I go out every game and I play hard. I don’t intentionally try to hurt anyone or play whatever you want to say. I go out and play every game like it’s my last because at one point it was my last so I don’t take a game for granted, I don’t take a moment for granted so I’m going to go out there and play as hard as I can every possession, every game.”
Izzo on if he had an update on guard Divine Ugochukwu, who was sidelined with a foot injury in the first half: “I don’t but it doesn’t look good. … I think they were taking him to get X-rayed.”
Freshman Jordan Scott on hitting his opening field goal attempt before finishing with a career-high 15 points in his first start: “Seeing the first one go in definitely helped.”
Izzo on Coen Carr scoring all 16 of his points in the second half: “There was a lot more energy the last half than there was the first half.”
Carr on the difference between the first and second halves: “We played terrible in the first half, so that’s probably pretty much it. … I did an OK job in the second half but the first half was just (inexcusable).”
Izzo on a second straight loss with a visit from No. 5 Illinois coming on Saturday: “The road’s not going to get any easier. I don’t know, there’s got to a be a gut check with a couple guys. They’ve got to play harder, they’ve got to play better.”
