For Tom Izzo, Michigan State has to get back to their roots in order to make NCAA run
Spartans fail to live up to defensive standards in head-scratching loss to UCLA
In front of a heavily pro–Michigan State crowd at the United Center in Chicago, Michigan State was sent home early after a disappointing loss to No. 6 seed UCLA in the Big Ten Tournament.
In the 88–84 loss to the Bruins, Tom Izzo didn’t mince words about what he saw from his team.
“Really disappointing how we played,” Izzo said after the game. “I give a lot of credit to UCLA. We beat them by 30 at our place, and Mick, like he should do, he got his team ready, and they played harder, tougher.”
The loss ends Michigan State’s run in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament and leaves the Spartans with a sour taste heading into the NCAA Tournament.
Despite a late rally that trimmed a double-digit deficit to a one-possession game in the closing minutes, Izzo said the comeback attempt masked the larger issue: Michigan State simply didn’t respond early enough.
“They punched us in the mouth, and we didn’t respond,” Izzo said. “That doesn’t happen very often.”
The Bruins dictated the pace early, capitalizing on defensive breakdowns and missed opportunities by Michigan State. Izzo pointed to a series of missed shots near the rim and defensive lapses that allowed UCLA to build its lead.
“The number of shots we missed at the rim really hurt us,” Izzo said. “They didn’t have many wide-open ones that they didn’t make, and that really helped them.”
UCLA’s offensive execution was sparked by guard Donovan Dent, whose ability to penetrate the defense repeatedly forced the Spartans into difficult rotations. That pressure created open perimeter looks that the Bruins consistently converted.
Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. acknowledged the challenge of containing Dent and took responsibility for the defensive breakdowns.
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