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00:00 Well, tale of two halves, Michigan a lot of credit.
00:05 I thought they all played us most of the first half, the score wasn't what it was.
00:10 We were lucky to be down two and as it ends up, it's not a 19 point win,
00:16 but it's a solid win that most of the second half we played better.
00:22 I didn't think we guarded, I didn't think we rebounded.
00:24 And what we have been doing is we're not turning the ball over.
00:31 I mean, I think AJ had two in the first couple minutes and
00:35 somebody else said one and I think we had three the rest of the game.
00:38 So that was big, I thought we made some shots but
00:42 Jaden Ingram was real good.
00:45 First half he was pretty good, we weren't guarding, we weren't rebounding.
00:49 Second half I thought he checked and scored.
00:53 And that's I think what he can do.
00:56 Tyson must have been figuring we're gonna win so
00:58 we go all for six from the three with wide open looks and
01:02 save the shots for the weekend.
01:03 Thought AJ was pretty good.
01:06 Second half real good, first half about real average.
01:10 So guy that really saved us with Jaden Aikens and of course Malik Hall.
01:15 I don't know what he ended up with, six for eight.
01:20 Didn't get to the free throw line, only had three rebounds.
01:23 So it'll be something to complain about, but
01:25 I thought he did a really, really, really good job.
01:28 I'm not only guarding Olivier, cuz he's a hell of a player,
01:32 but we tried a little bit of our own bowling ball and
01:37 I thought he took it in there and made some big plays.
01:40 And you shoot 56% and 43 from the three and
01:46 you don't feel like you played as well, but 21 assists was good,
01:49 six turnovers was good.
01:51 And I thought Michigan played awfully well the first 25 minutes of the game and
01:56 I thought we played better the last 50.
01:59 Questions?
02:02 >> Tom, win number 700, what's that mean to you and
02:05 to have guys like Steve Smith, Mateen and Pickmiller in the house?
02:08 >> Yeah, you know what?
02:11 That's what means something to me.
02:12 I just told my team, boy, you better learn something from those guys.
02:18 Because I'm worried that that will disappear as these stupid new rules
02:23 continue to go.
02:26 And man, when Steve showed up and
02:29 Pig showed up, I mean, it's been 30 years.
02:33 And he was happy and Mateen's out was here and Charlie was here and
02:39 Tommy was here, Wolfie was here.
02:42 I mean, there were a lot of former players, a lot of former managers.
02:45 And it wasn't a reunion weekend, they just came back for
02:49 a good game and probably to support us.
02:51 Our fans were unbelievable.
02:54 Nine o'clock game, that thing was packed to the rafters and
02:57 they helped us too because we were very average in the first half.
03:01 And so I should be more excited, but I'm not because I have bigger goals than
03:06 the winning game, even against your rival, but it was something we had to do.
03:11 And hopefully we can build on the second half.
03:13 But consistency is what I think is the key to successful programs and
03:18 we've been consistently inconsistent.
03:22 And hopefully we learn from some of this.
03:25 We got some play out of everybody.
03:27 Booker went in there and did some good things.
03:29 And then a couple of things that you gotta learn.
03:33 I was really happy with Malik Hall trying to teach him.
03:36 Cohen might have had one of the great blocks in Breslin history from what I know.
03:42 You're the expert on things that happened 100 years ago.
03:46 I think it was one of the great blocks.
03:47 And yet, defensively, there were some things that he didn't do.
03:52 But that's what happens when freshmen.
03:53 That's why so few people are playing.
03:57 But I like my two that are playing and
04:00 hopefully we're getting more and more minutes.
04:02 Eight will turn to ten, ten will turn to twelve.
04:05 Jackson Kohler did some decent things.
04:07 We felt like Motty and Coupe.
04:11 We thought we could be rolling a lot more.
04:14 We didn't do that.
04:15 So we've got a lot of things to coach tomorrow.
04:17 >> Tom, you mentioned about the second half change.
04:23 You talked after the Wisconsin game about the loose ball rebounds.
04:26 And they were sunk early.
04:27 But then Tyson gets that one early in the second half.
04:29 That really seemed to be a switch right there.
04:32 >> Boy, like I said, I couldn't agree with you more.
04:37 Matt brought that up to me that I think that was the go ahead bucket and
04:41 then it just kind of went.
04:43 And that's what energy stuff does.
04:44 And I don't know why we're not doing that.
04:51 We talk about it.
04:52 But we gotta do a better job of that.
04:55 I mean, that's gotta be the norm.
04:57 Still got out rebounded, but at least the effort related things.
05:00 I thought we did a better job in the defense in the second half.
05:03 I thought Jade really got after some people.
05:05 Tyson really got after, Trey really got after some people.
05:09 And that was good for us.
05:11 >> Coach, and tonight was so much to celebrate.
05:15 AJ Hoberg, a thousand point milestone.
05:17 How satisfied are you with this performance tonight?
05:19 And how proud are you of a guy like him?
05:22 >> Well, I am really proud of AJ because it's been a,
05:24 it's been an interesting four years, to say the least.
05:30 And in that halftime, I wasn't thinking about his thousands point.
05:37 I was thinking about the mistakes we were making.
05:39 And to his credit, I said if you and Tyson don't play better,
05:43 we're not gonna win.
05:44 And they both played better.
05:46 I mean, even Ty didn't shoot it like he normally does, but
05:49 he got after it a little more.
05:50 And AJ kind of ran our team, made very few mistakes.
05:55 But I'm happy for him because it meant a lot to him.
06:01 You get to be in an elite group.
06:03 Whatever the thousand point scores, however many there are,
06:06 that's not something everybody gets to do.
06:09 So I am really happy that he did it in three and a half years, a little over.
06:14 It's pretty good.
06:15 Proud of him.
06:16 >> Tom, you talked about it was a tale of two halves.
06:19 And at halftime, were you more frustrated or angry?
06:22 Because you had a lot of open shots in the first half.
06:25 It's just more going back.
06:26 >> Yeah, well, I was frustrated with the effort related things.
06:29 And I'm not gonna lie to you, that's been an issue.
06:32 And it's almost embarrassing for me.
06:35 I got Mateen sitting right next to me and Steve being there.
06:38 I mean, that's what we built this program on.
06:41 It's still not where it needs to be.
06:43 But I did agree with you.
06:45 I thought we had some open shots.
06:47 I mean, Ty had a bunch, Jayden had a couple.
06:49 Missed a layup in there, Coop missed one easy one.
06:53 And I mean, both banged one in, so I guess we get it back to return.
06:59 Although, I don't know what it's with me and big guys, but
07:03 between Wisconsin and now Reed, is that his first one is?
07:08 >> Yes.
07:09 >> Year or career?
07:10 >> Career. >> Forever career.
07:11 >> Right.
07:12 >> [LAUGH]
07:14 >> I don't know.
07:15 I mean, that was frustrating.
07:17 It really was.
07:17 I mean, you held the job defensively and then a guy like that hits a three.
07:21 And I don't mean that negatively against him.
07:24 I just mean that's kind of some of the things that have happened to us.
07:27 But tonight we bounced back and that is a talented team.
07:32 And I really, I like the point guard.
07:35 I mean, he played well.
07:38 He did some good things.
07:40 It's gotta be hard to do what you wanna do down through between his own illness and
07:45 his situation with his guard, but they're handling as well as he can.
07:51 It's still a team that's got some talent, it's gonna win some games, I bet you.
07:56 >> Now we've seen the big first halves with Baylor and Maryland and
08:00 some furious second half flurries, 21 games in, how do you tie the two together?
08:06 >> That's exactly what I asked my team tonight when I was in the locker room.
08:10 That was exactly what I asked them.
08:13 Not only tying the two halves together, but
08:15 tying five or six players together.
08:17 And it hasn't been selfish, 21 assists and 30 some baskets.
08:24 I mean, I thought we did a great job of that.
08:26 So I don't know.
08:29 We're just gonna keep working at it.
08:32 Cuz if it ever comes, I think this team could be as good as I said.
08:37 And if it doesn't come, this team won't be as good as I thought.
08:41 It's pretty simple.
08:42 So I'm gonna keep working on it, I promise you that.
08:46 >> When Michigan's struggling as much as it has this season,
08:51 does that take some of the intensity and maybe the air out of the rivalry?
08:53 >> No, I mean, I've been here when I was not winning much and
09:01 still was a rivalry.
09:02 I've been here when I was winning a lot, it was still a rivalry.
09:05 And the difference with their team right now, if you really look at their team,
09:11 go through the teams that have beaten them.
09:13 They're what, two and seven in the league.
09:17 And the number of games, and they produced the only game
09:22 that wasn't a two, three point, four point game, the late in the game.
09:26 I mean, maybe one other, but they've been in every game.
09:29 You gotta give him and his staff credit because my favorite double Ds,
09:35 the distractions and dirt bags, the things that happen that we have to keep away from
09:40 guys and some of those have hit them and
09:44 those distractions make it difficult, but they're in every game.
09:49 And that's what we kept trying to tell our guys.
09:52 As far as the rivalry goes,
09:53 I have enough over my 39 and
09:59 a half years of goods and
10:04 bads, the rivalry will never die for me.
10:08 And I'm sure for them too, but nobody's been there that long for them.
10:13 But rivalry is something that is not about the coaches.
10:17 It's not even about the teams.
10:19 It's about people that went to school at each place.
10:22 It's about people that pull for their teams.
10:26 Rivalry should go on forever.
10:28 If the rivalry start dying, I mean,
10:31 is it the same when both teams are playing for a championship?
10:34 Well, of course not, but we say it all the time.
10:38 When you play your rival, it doesn't matter if they're only 10 in football and
10:41 you're 10 and 0, rivalry is a rivalry.
10:44 And is it a little different?
10:46 It's a little different because we're both struggling a little bit.
10:49 But nope, still had butterflies last night,
10:54 still didn't sleep well last night.
10:56 That'll never change, never change no matter if I lose 10 in a row or
11:01 win 10 in a row, it'll never change.
11:03 >> First half they shoot 60 some percent, second half 20 something.
11:09 What stood out to you as the biggest differences defensively?
11:11 Was it more energy effort stuff or more tactical, X and O stuff?
11:15 >> We changed a few things up on ball swings.
11:20 I shouldn't say that I'm post up.
11:22 I mean, and it's hard, man.
11:26 We've been playing so many teams that are so perimeter oriented.
11:29 Now we play a team that has perimeter shooters.
11:33 I mean, the well in this shooting better than almost anybody on their team.
11:37 And I think Williams is a hell of a player.
11:40 He can make shots and we did a decent job on Williams from the three.
11:44 We did not do a very good job on the well in.
11:46 He goes for it for six.
11:48 But they have three guys in the perimeter that can shoot and
11:50 they have two horses inside.
11:52 I thought the guy we did a decent job on that I really like is the cheddar.
11:57 He didn't get much off but he can really shoot it.
12:00 He's a good offensive rebounder.
12:02 So all in all, our pigs probably did a better job than I think defensively.
12:06 But I'll have to watch the film and
12:08 we'll know that tomorrow cuz I'm a little confused by the way the game went myself.
12:14 >> I know you said that there's a lot of things that you're gonna go home and
12:17 review, but getting 700 wins on your birthday.
12:21 I mean, can you take a moment just to reflect on what it's meant for
12:24 your career up to this point?
12:26 And is it mean anything more happening on your birthday against the rival?
12:31 >> No, that one really didn't.
12:32 I mean, when you're a coach, most birthdays I'm not around for a long time.
12:39 But I think one thing that I realized is I started too late.
12:46 Or somebody else won a lot more games cuz I'm 502 behind Shisheski.
12:50 So one of the two things, I don't think he's worried about me catching him.
12:56 But I didn't feel good for,
13:00 I look back on my career, Jack, you and I used to talk about this a lot of midnights,
13:05 20 years ago, 10 years ago.
13:07 And what I was gonna do in my career when I was gonna quit,
13:11 if I was gonna go to the NBA.
13:14 And so many coaches have changed and I just kinda hung in there.
13:17 And that's what happens when you hang in there.
13:19 I mean, 700 wins is pretty impressive even to me.
13:24 700 wins at the same school, that means a lot to me.
13:29 That's probably what means the most to me.
13:31 I mean, if you want a few here and a few there and a few here and a few there.
13:36 And then a lot at one place.
13:37 But we, the players, the assistant coaches I've had,
13:44 we've won all of ours right here at Michigan State.
13:46 And I am really, really honored, proud, and feel good.
13:54 And like I said, we're not dead yet.
13:56 We got some more wins, we got some more years to go.
14:00 And so we keep fighting the fight.
14:03 But I think looking back,
14:06 I don't know if anybody looks back on these jobs until they're done.
14:12 I can't picture Nick Saban looking back or Bill Belichick looking back or
14:17 Mike Krzyzewski or Roy Williams.
14:22 I mean, you don't look back now, you look back when you're done.
14:26 And the only problem is it was so fun to be around my guys.
14:33 I mean, when I said that, I think of a team.
14:38 I think of that recruiting battle.
14:41 And I think that we all know I wouldn't be here if I didn't win that battle.
14:47 And then we didn't win what we won.
14:49 I mean, this day and age, you don't stay in the same place very long unless you
14:54 win big, and you don't win big without good players and good teams and
14:57 good leaders and good assistant coaches.
14:59 And you know what?
15:01 People have supported me here.
15:03 Fans have been unbelievable.
15:05 The Izzone is unbelievable.
15:08 When I think of that 150 kids in that first game against Indiana with that 4,000
15:13 red sweaters in our home stands, I'm so upset.
15:19 That all of us almost went out in the hallway and we changed it,
15:25 changed the culture, changed all the things.
15:29 And now I just think that we got some things rolling right now.
15:35 Our marketing people have done an incredible job.
15:37 Look at our women's program, look at our hockey program.
15:42 I mean, I called Robin,
15:47 she said, do you wanna come over to my house?
15:50 I'm having a little party for the Lions.
15:53 And I was gonna go, and I said, no, I better work cuz you're passing me by and
15:59 you're too young to pass me by.
16:02 I gotta keep up with you, so I stayed home and worked and watched the Lions.
16:07 But I appreciate all the people that have helped me have the success from
16:13 Lana to Mark to Helen and the people here now.
16:18 And I'm looking forward, we've got some things going on here with our football
16:22 coach and our president and all that.
16:25 Let's go, let's go, let's get some stuff done here.
16:29 >> Chris, looking back at this game,
16:34 the guards really seem to attack in the second half.
16:38 I'm looking at this and it's, you guys outscored them 34 to 6 in a paint.
16:43 But it seemed like it was off a lot of penetration, and
16:46 the threes came from kickouts.
16:47 I guess with the inside presence, how much can the guard provide in that?
16:52 >> Well, our break was pretty good at times.
16:55 I mean, Clay Holloman made a couple of nice plays, Tyson, AJ.
16:59 But to get your break going, you gotta defend it, you gotta rebound it, and
17:05 then you gotta run it.
17:06 And they were shooting 60%, so we weren't defending it.
17:10 They were out-rebounding it, so we weren't rebounding it.
17:14 And I think that was a difference.
17:15 Second half, we did a little better job in some of those areas.
17:19 But I don't know, we're gonna be doing some work this week on it.
17:25 I mean, we gotta address it, and it's not like I haven't tried to.
17:29 But I think I can use some of this film in the second half.
17:32 There was a little more physicality.
17:34 There were loose balls as somebody brought up.
17:37 I mean, those are the things that Michigan State's always been good at.
17:42 And if we're not as good, you always gotta look at the guy at the top.
17:49 So the head isn't doing it right, so the body's not doing it right.
17:51 So the head better get it right, so the body does it right.
17:54 >> All set, guys?
17:56 >> Thanks a lot, guys, for everything.
17:59 You supported us 700.