Tom Izzo Comments on Loss to Baylor, Apologizes to Team for Tough Schedule
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo issued an apology to his team following Thursday's 73-58 loss to Baylor, saying he put the team in a difficult position with its tough schedule.
"I actually apologized to my team," Izzo told reporters. "And yet, I've always played a tough schedule. ... You know what? You can take it as an excuse, you can take it as the truth, I don't give a damn. I'm telling you what I did. This ain't on them. It's on me."
Michigan State opened with games against a pair of Top 10 teams in Arizona and Kentucky, beginning its season 0-2. The Spartans rebounded to win their next three games—though one was a shaky one-point win over Florida Gulf Coast—before falling to Baylor in the Battle 4 Atlantis.
They will face a solid Wichita State team in Friday's consolation game before traveling to face sixth-ranked Duke on Tuesday.
Leading by three points at halftime, Michigan State fell apart on both ends of the floor after the break. Baylor outscored the Spartans 43-25; the Bears had already stretched their lead to 15 points in the first 10 minutes of the half.
"We were moving the ball and really playing well, I thought through the first half, and we quit doing that," Izzo told reporters. "I just think we looked awfully tired. I can accept that that's my fault, not theirs."
Johnathan Motley scored 26 points, and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. added 14, with Baylor dominating inside for most of the contest. Miles Bridges had 15 points and was the only Spartans starter who scored more than six points, as they shot just 7-of-23 from beyond the arc.
"We were bigger than them in the paint and we think we're tougher," Motley said, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), "so we just used that to our advantage."
After beginning the season unranked, Baylor has reeled off five straight wins—two against ranked opponents. The Bears will face a stiff test against Louisville on Friday, but the Cardinals are yet to play anyone in the Top 25.
Given his team's struggles thus far, Izzo likely wishes he would have taken scheduling lessons from Cardinals coach Rick Pitino.
Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.
