Unique: Tom Izzo on seeding, guard play, and secrets to a Final Four run

Editor’s note: Tom Izzo stopped by to chat with John Fanta for an unique 1-on-1 ahead of Michigan State’s second-round videogame versus Marquette. The Spartans won that videogame Sunday to advance to the Sweet 16.

Seven years ago, Michigan State suffered one of the greatest upsets in the history of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Spartans, led by All-American guard Denzel Valentine, ran into a red-hot-shooting Middle Tennessee State group and ended up on the incorrect end of a 90-81 defeat. It was simply the 8th time in competition history that a No. 15 seed had knocked off a 2-seed.

Fast-forward to the present, and MSU head coach Tom Izzo has his group back in the Big Dance for a 25th successive season, the longest such streak amongst Division I guys’s basketball coaches. 

Izzo’s group made an outstanding 72-62 opening-round win over USC on Friday and will take on No. 2 seed Marquette in the Round of 32 on Sunday. The Spartans, who have won 6 of their last 9 videogames, are a popular upset option heading into Sunday’s match and have even been pointedout as a sly Final Four choice by numerous nationwide media members. 

But Izzo understands what it’s like to be on both ends of the spectrum — he’s been knocked off as a high seed, and he’s made a Final Four as a 7-seed (2015).

“I’ve been to the Final Four as a 1-seed, and I’ve been beaten in the veryfirst weekend [as a 2-seed],” Izzo stated in an special interview with FOX Sports college basketball pressreporter John Fanta. “I truly puton’t believe the seeding is as crucial ideal now. It’s how you’re playing and what your group is like.”

The Spartans passed their veryfirst test versus USC by aggravating the Trojans from start to surface with suffocating defense and prompt shot-making. Izzo’s group held a USC group that was averaging 72.5 points per contest to simply 62 points on 41% shooting from the flooring.

“They played well, and I offer them credit,” USC senior Drew Peterson stated after being held to simply 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting. “They played a really strong defense.”

While defense is and constantly hasactually been a calling card for Izzo’s groups, there was another element of Friday’s videogame that left him sensation hopeful about his group’s possibilities moving forward.

“Not turning the ball over,” Izzo stated. “If we can take care of the ball versus Marquette, that will have a lot to do with the result of that videogame.”

The numbers definitely back up Izzo’s claim: The Spartans ranked 12th out of 14 groups in the Big Ten in turnover margin (-0.97) this season and went 5-5 when devoting at least 12 turnovers.

It’s a informing stat for a group that relies greatly on the play of its guards. The trio of A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins integrate to average 37 points per videogame, which is more than 50% of the Spartans’ scoring offense.

“Guard play is huge in the competition,” Izzo stated. “Right now, we have 3 guards playing at a actually high level. They’re a group that plays well together. 

“As my point guard goes, we go. And he [Hoggard] hasactually been actually great recently, so ideally we can go on a little run here.”

Hoggard will be matched up versus another elite-level point guard on Sunday, as Marquette’s Tyler Kolek, the Big East Conference Player of the Year, ranks 3rd nationally in helps (7.6 per videogame).

Containing Kolek and a Marquette offense that averages 80 points per videogame will be crucial for Izzo and the Spartans.

“If we can put that offense and defense together — cause we’ve undoubtedly been actually great offensively the last month — then we’ve got a run in us,” stated Izzo. “If not, and we puton’t desire to guard, then we’re mostlikely going house.”

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