Tom Izzo shares key players to Michigan State's offense

Since Tom Izzo has been coaching at Michigan State, the Spartans have made the Sweet Sixteen like clockwork. This is his 16th appearance there since he became the team’s head coach in 1995.

To get past the Sweet Sixteen this season, Izzo knows he needs his key players to produce on offense.

“Well, I don’t think there’s any question, it’s A.J. [Hoggard],” Tom Izzo said. “Your quarterback has to orchestrate, and he’s done a much better job.”

The Spartans made it to the Sweet Sixteen by upsetting Marquette. They were, in large part, able to do this because of the team’s defensive effort. Tom Izzo knows that the team’s offensive production needs to improve now, especially from three.

“I think last game we didn’t shoot the ball really well, and I thought we had some decent shots. We just missed some shots. Over a conference season, we’re a team that shot almost 40 percent from three, so the sample size of two games, I don’t think it’s in anybody’s head. We just didn’t shoot it as well in those two games,” Izzo said.

I think we’ll shoot it better if we get our running game going. I think that’ll help. I think this game will be up and down. I think they want to run, we want to run, and yet at the end of the day, you’ve got to make shots, no matter who you are. That helps you win.

Michigan State plays a tough Kansas State team on Thursday. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight.

“At the end of the day, though, the other thing that helps you is your defense travels, and over the years, it’s helped me a lot.”

Jerome Tang praised Tom Izzo

Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang has a lot of respect for Tom Izzo. In particular, he thinks Izzo is all class.

“Tom Izzo, man, is just a class act, and I’ve followed him for a long time. Add the fact as an assistant he knew my name, it blew me away. Just to watch what he’s done, how he’s handled his program, loved his players, had tremendous success on and off the court, how he handled the tragedy at Michigan State this year, everybody can learn from that,” Tang said.

“I told Coach Izzo, I wish it was me and him playing to see who goes to the Elite Eight, but it’s going to be our teams. This is about those guys out there on the floor. I wouldn’t want to shoot free throws against him, though, because I know he’s really good at that.”