Tom Izzo Matt Mcquaid Cassius Winston Nick Ward
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NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Final Four Friday, April 5, 2019 Minneapolis, Minnesota Tom Izzo I think the one thing nobody wants is a lot of fouls, and Matt McQuaid we went through that phase where it was a free-throw contest instead of a basketball game. I never enjoyed Cassius Winston that. The freedom of movement, you know, is true, but I Nick Ward think people come to see the best players play, and Michigan State Spartans they want to see them -- if they think there's ever going to be any contact, I don't know what they've been THE MODERATOR: Coach Izzo has joined us. Coach, watching all their life, but there is going to be some. It's you want to give us a couple of thoughts, and then we'll been a little hard adjustment when you can beat the take some questions. hell out of somebody inside and can't put a fingernail on them outside. TOM IZZO: Well, it's been as exciting as I thought. I think the NCAA or the officials have found a happy I like the new format the NCAA used getting us in here medium in there too, and we have pretty good defense. yesterday and getting to have a real practice on the We're going to have two pretty good defensive teams floor. I think that was -- I don't know how many years here. Tony's got an incredibly good defensive team, they've done that, but it was definitely since I was back and Bruce is pressing and trapping all over. So who here last. knows? Maybe it will be change. Whatever the way they want to play it, I'm going to adjust to it, complain if The city's been great. Everything's been great. we lose, and be happy if we win. It will be no different. I got a chance to spend a little time with Chris and still Q. Just a followup, Tom, to what you told us last congratulate him on the Coach of the Year award. week about your genesis in all this, how you That's an awesome award and well deserved. applied to Jud and he didn't hire you, and finally you just latched on. What is it about this business The hay is almost in the barn. We're ready to go, and that says I just want it and I want to stay in it? I'm sure they are too. TOM IZZO: It's like even now, like we might be the only profession where -- everybody wants a vacation, right? Q. A couple years ago, the NCAA tweaked a lot of You guys all want a vacation. Last week I said -- my rules to try to make sure we could get more free- whole thing was please let me work another day or two flowing offense that worked. This year all we're and then please let me work another week, you know. talking about is defense, and I was just wondering We are a little certifiably insane. That's why sometimes where you think things stand. the game makes fools of us all. TOM IZZO: That's a good question. We've been pretty good defensively, and we've been pretty good I did go through three interviews with Jud and finally offensively. We've rebounded the ball pretty good. begged him to keep me as a graduate assistants. That We're shooting good from the free-throw line. So was interesting, you know. Mom was mad at me everything stands good for me. because I was 26 years old and didn't have a real job yet. You know, how that has -- I've been in this league so long, for us in the Big Ten, I've been at it for a while The way things have gone, it's worked out well for me, now. There's always tweaks. for Jud, I think for Michigan State, and believe it or not, for my mom and my family too. Everybody's benefited. I don't know. I mean, that's a really good question. I I think, if you're ready to sacrifice -- it doesn't matter if just don't have a really good answer because I think it it's your job or mine. If you're ready to pay the price changes -- it even changes throughout the year. and go through the process, and not many people are willing to do that as much anymore. So I'm happy I Rev #1 by #206 at 2019-04-05 18:58:00 GMT page 1 of 5 was part of that generation in that respect. We're going to spend some time this summer. You know, I love the whole family. I got to know his sisters Q. Just talk about what it's like to have a legend and, of course, Debbie. He's just one of those guys like Magic Johnson. You know, he's always there. you respect and admire, and even though we lost Flip, I He talks to the team before games and what have think Ryan carries on the mantle of who Flip was, who you. And then as a second part, how cool is it that he still is really, and the impact he had on the game of at this Final Four, you've got Magic Johnson, basketball. Auburn has Charles Barkley, Virginia has Ralph Sampson, three legends all cheering their teams Q. Tom, if people look and listen, they can still see on. and hear some of Jud Heathcote 24 years later. TOM IZZO: Yeah, and Texas Tech has a hell of a team When you look at Tech and Chris, do you see any and a hell of a coach, so I guess we've all got of Bob Knight? something. Magic is like EF Hutton. When he speaks, TOM IZZO: I definitely do. You know, when you watch I listen, they listen. That's the beauty of it. And the their motion offense, when you watch -- you know, we beauty of it is he's been there throughout, I mean, used to say that -- we used to tell our guys when we since the day I got the job. Thank God his family, his played Indiana, watch how you run out onto the floor parents still live in East Lansing. because somebody's going to be taking a charge on you, and they did back then a lot. Chris has kind of It's great to have some of your icons from the past still taken that format. care about the snot-nosed kids of the present, you know. To those guys, when Magic talked to our guys But he's a student of the game. He's humble. I really, last week and he said, 40 years ago we won the as I've gotten to know him better, really appreciate how National Championship, that was my first Final Four we he's done it so quickly, and I guess, if you look back, ever went to out of college, and I said, man, we're all you know, in four years we were in a Final Four, in getting old, you know. three years we won the Big Ten Championship. So not quite as quick as him, although he had a few stops But for him to still have interest in the program and along the way. many of the other guys have had, it's really cool. It's one of the things that I hope we don't lose with the Yeah, him and I are lucky, you know. You can like or changing of the guard, the one-and-done, the transfers love Jud Heathcote or Bob Knight. I happen to love -- all the things that happen. I'm afraid we're going to both of them, but they did a lot for the game, and they lose some of that, and, again, I guess maybe I'm lucky did a lot -- the game mattered to them, and I think they that I was here at the right time. It's awesome, though, put out some people that became pretty successful to answer your question. It's awesome. themselves, and that's a mark of a great mentor, if you ask me. Q. Ryan Saunders has said that you really kind of stepped up and filled a void after Flip's passing. Q. Wonder if you go back to the Duke game on Why was that so important to you to step up? And Sunday for just a second. Before their last play, just how much has your relationship with Ryan you were running down the sideline. You actually, I grown these last few years? think, had to be escorted back into the coach's TOM IZZO: It's grown. I was with him last night for a box. What was going on there? Was there an little bit. You know, he's so much like his dad, it's scary. issue with the spot? What had you spotted there I guess we all are, but his is scary. His mannerisms that you were so irate about? are unbelievable. I did spend some time with Flip and TOM IZZO: Yeah, as I said, I make mistakes too, you Ryan, when he was out in Washington. Why do I? know. They changed that rule now where they move Because I was fortunate my dad lived to 91 years old, the ball.