Tom Izzo: Michigan Basketball ‘played well, I guess’ in win at MSU

For the first time in eight years, Michigan Basketball beat Michigan State on the road. After the Spartans battled back to eliminate a 16-point deficit, the Wolverines turned it on late and still won by double digits, 83-71.

It was admirable for Michigan State to battle back and take the lead a few times in the second half, but ultimately, the Spartans lost to a Michigan team that is completely capable of winning the Big Ten Conference and the National Championship.

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Following his team’s loss — which happened on his 71st birthday — Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo seemed upset with how things played out.

“Disappointed would be an understatement,” Izzo said. “I did not like the way we played. Give Michigan credit, they played well, I guess.”

Izzo, the Hall of Fame coach who has led Michigan State to an record-high 27 straight NCAA Tournaments, has the fourth-most wins of any coach in their first 30 seasons as a coach. He was proud of his team for getting back into the game, but felt like the dominance of Michigan in the first half put his team in a bind.

It was a physical game, with officials letting a lot of stuff go, as they should in a rivalry affair. Michigan State was able to come back in the second half, but it did not come away victorious.

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“The three guys working tonight, they had a very difficult job, and they earned their Big Ten salary over the last few hours,” Michigan head coach Dusty May said of the officials.

“I was disappointed in officiating, but more disappointed in my team,” Izzo said. “I think we played well enough, I think there were som bizarre calls, and I thought (Michigan) made the plays.

“To come back on a team that good like we did in five minutes is a hell of a response. You can’t dig holes that big and expect to win.”

Izzo was understandably frustrated after the game, criticizing the officials but ultimately feeling like his team’s poor execution offensively were responsible for the loss. To…

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Publish date : 2026-01-31 12:34:00

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