This year was the first time that I have traveled farther than East Lansing or Detroit to cover Spartans basketball. So, it was also the first time that I have experienced an emotional press conference and locker room following an NCAA Tournament loss.
I have to admit that it was tough. When you get a chance to interview these players over a few years and get to know that a little bit as actual people and not just figure on the TV screen, it changes your perspective. You want them to do well, not just because it is more fun when MSU wins, but you want to see young people grow and achieve their dreams. It is hard to see them visibly upset. When Jaxon Kohler broke down in the post game press conference, it just about broke my heart.
But this is not Izzo's first rodeo, and he had a lot to say about what went wrong in the game and what the future might bring for MSU basketball. The harsh truth is that Izzo is 70-years old. He does not have that many shots left at that ninth Final Four and (more importantly) that second National Title. But Izzo was not despondent after Sunday's loss. He was disappointed, of course, but I think that on some level he knew that this likely wasn't going to be the year for his team to win it all.
This year's Final Four is stacked. Could MSU have beaten Florida and then either Duke or Houston? Sure. Anything is possible. But I don't think that it would have been very likely. MSU honestly peaked a few weeks ago, in the home stretch of the Big Ten regular season race. IF they could have gotten back to that level of execution, they would have beaten Auburn and would have had a shot in San Antonio. But that simply didn't happen.
Izzo talked about how this team starts two freshman (Fears and Richardson). He implied that the lights may have been a bit too bright for them, especially when going against some of the grown-ass men that Auburn had. He also talked about how even Mateen Cleeves had to lose in the Sweet 16 and then again in the Final Four before gaining entrance to the Promised Land. I think that it is possible that this team could be on a similar trajectory, especially if Richardson comes back with the goal of getting to the Final Four.
But in the current era of NIL and the portal, very little is certain. I think that Izzo believes that he can hold most of this team together. But he admits that he doesn't really know. The next few weeks and months will be interesting as "roster season" approaches. But I have a feeling that Izzo still has a little magic left in him, but the next few seasons might be his last real shot. I hope that he can make it count.
Check out my full story on what Izzo had to say after the Auburn game here:
michiganstate.rivals.com
I have to admit that it was tough. When you get a chance to interview these players over a few years and get to know that a little bit as actual people and not just figure on the TV screen, it changes your perspective. You want them to do well, not just because it is more fun when MSU wins, but you want to see young people grow and achieve their dreams. It is hard to see them visibly upset. When Jaxon Kohler broke down in the post game press conference, it just about broke my heart.
But this is not Izzo's first rodeo, and he had a lot to say about what went wrong in the game and what the future might bring for MSU basketball. The harsh truth is that Izzo is 70-years old. He does not have that many shots left at that ninth Final Four and (more importantly) that second National Title. But Izzo was not despondent after Sunday's loss. He was disappointed, of course, but I think that on some level he knew that this likely wasn't going to be the year for his team to win it all.
This year's Final Four is stacked. Could MSU have beaten Florida and then either Duke or Houston? Sure. Anything is possible. But I don't think that it would have been very likely. MSU honestly peaked a few weeks ago, in the home stretch of the Big Ten regular season race. IF they could have gotten back to that level of execution, they would have beaten Auburn and would have had a shot in San Antonio. But that simply didn't happen.
Izzo talked about how this team starts two freshman (Fears and Richardson). He implied that the lights may have been a bit too bright for them, especially when going against some of the grown-ass men that Auburn had. He also talked about how even Mateen Cleeves had to lose in the Sweet 16 and then again in the Final Four before gaining entrance to the Promised Land. I think that it is possible that this team could be on a similar trajectory, especially if Richardson comes back with the goal of getting to the Final Four.
But in the current era of NIL and the portal, very little is certain. I think that Izzo believes that he can hold most of this team together. But he admits that he doesn't really know. The next few weeks and months will be interesting as "roster season" approaches. But I have a feeling that Izzo still has a little magic left in him, but the next few seasons might be his last real shot. I hope that he can make it count.
Check out my full story on what Izzo had to say after the Auburn game here:
For Izzo, this Spartans team gave him everything they had, invigorated him
For MSU basketball fans, a reinvigorated Tom Izzo is perhaps the best possible result to come out of this season.
