Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo is looking to move past the team’s narrow victory against Ohio state, changing focus to an upcoming Purdue matchup.
After the Spartans’ 66-60 win over Ohio State, Izzo admitted that he was ‘disappointed’ in the team’s performance.
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“I was disappointed in our performance but I went back and looked at a lot of things, both in that game and throughout the years and it is what it is,” said Izzo. “I mean we have to get better.”
Improvement will be necessary against one of the Big Ten’s best, Purdue. Izzo says the road game against the Boilermakers will be a challenging late-season test.
“Our defense and our post defense will be challenged at the highest level this week, and yet, what a great opportunity at the end of the year to kind of see where you are as you move into tournament time.”
Izzo says he doesn’t know what came out of the team meeting between players after the Ohio State win but provided some insight on things they should discuss.
“That’s between them but I gave them some bullet points on things they had to talk about,” said Izzo.
Izzo hopes the players discussed improving their first half performances. The Spartans have struggled in the first half and the teams that have won at Purdue this season, won the first half.
“Getting off to a good start helps when you’re on the road anytime, there’s no question about that,” said Izzo. “How we do that? Hopefully they came up with that in their team meeting.”
The Spartans and Boilermakers have identical conference records at 12-4.
Both teams have solid guard play. The Spartans are led by sophomore guard Jeremy Fears while Purdue is led by senior guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer.
Fears and Smith will have an intriguing matchup as floor generals with both players averaging 15 points and nine assists on the season.
Loyer averages 14 points and shoots 40% from three-point range.
Purdue also poses a formidable challenge in the frontcourt with senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (13 PPG, 9 REB) and senior center Oscar Cluff (10 PPG, 7 REB).
They’ll matchup against Michigan State’s senior frontcourt pair of Jaxon Kohler (12 PPG, 9 REB) and Carson Cooper (10 PG, 7 REB).
The game comes down to a clash of styles as Purdue’s offense is ranked fourth in the conference (82.9 PPG) and Michigan State’s defense is ranked third in the conference (66.1 points allowed per game).
The game at Mackey Arena on Feb. 26 tips off at 8 p.m.