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MSU Basketball Preview
Izzo talks 2009-10 season
Tom Izzo: If you look at Suton, he was consistently a good re-
not a guy in this room that doesn’t take his health for granted – so
bounder and we might’ve lost two of the best defenders in the
something happens and then you kind of reevaluate.
league as far as a big and a small that could really defend. Suton
I think Ray’s a
was so underrated in that area, Walton got all the credit, deserv-
guy that’s a great
edly, and Walton got all the credit for leadership, deservedly, but
kid. He’s a smart kid
Suton was like a quiet assassin. He could defend real well, he had
but in my mind not
a great post but he also understood everybody and everything,
quite passionate
and he got along with everybody.
enough or in love
TOM IzzO talking to reporters on Big Ten Basketball At the first meeting with my team I said chemistry, leadership,
with the game. I’ve
Media Day, said he wants to continue to grow MSU as defense and center play – that was my order of issues, problems
noticed in spring
a program and last year’s Final Four was a great step.
and unknowns. We lost a lot more than people think but that’s
and summer he’s
okay.
been a lot more
By Michael Niziolek
passionate, but you
FP: Do you see one player stepping to fill that void in leader-
RayMaR MORgaN, talking to
Michigan State rode a wave of solid play and good fortune to
know he took big
ship or is it a role that you think multiple players will have to
Big Ten Network host and former
the Final Four in Detroit last season and while the Spartans fell
steps last year. Half
step up and fill?
Buckeye Jim Jackson, said he is
short of giving head coach Tom Izzo another championship, ex-
way through the
ready to bounce back from an in-
pectations are high that this year’s squad may be able to.
TI: I expect some of it to come from Lucas but unlike Walton who year he was a MVP
just had to defend and lead, we’re asking Lucas to defend, lead, candidate and the
jury-filled year last season.
With three starters returning, including last year’s Big Ten
score, make other people better, coach the team. That’s hard on a injuries and all that really hurt him.
Player of the Year Kalin Lucas, MSU was voted the pre-season
kid whose personality is getting better with his leadership but defi-
conference favorite by the media and in most pre-season polls is
FP: Is passion something that you can force or teach?
nitely not where Walton was. Yet his game has really escalated. I’m
ranked in the top five in the country.
hoping Draymond Green can be the non-captain silent assassin
TI: Passion’s the hardest thing to teach. I’d rather teach a jump
Izzo is happy to be the frontrunner in the Big Ten but doesn’t that Suton was.
shot than passion. I don’t wait for it to come along; I try to force the
expect anything to be easy in the conference. He says nine teams
process because it’s hard. It’s one of the hardest things any coach
FP: raymar Morgan went through a lot of ups and downs last
are strong enough to win it all and the Big Ten could be the best it’s
has to deal with.
season and he ended up having a pretty good nCaa tourna-
ever been in his 25-plus years at Michigan State.
ment. He’s obviously a key piece for you this year. Do you see
If you talk to coaches and they’re honest with you, the most
The FrontPage was at Big Ten’s Basketball Media Day and anything different from him with this being his final season
frustrating thing is when they have a talented player or any kind of
talked to Coach Izzo about the upcoming season. as a Spartan?
player that you just don’t think is passionate enough. You kind of
plead, beg and wish. Like Raymar would do anything that I would
FrontPage: Coach, you’re bringing a lot of guys back from TI: What I noticed most is when he missed, he missed four or
ask him to do early on and nothing that I didn’t ask him to do. Now
last year’s team but you lost both travis Walton and goran five games. But he really missed about 10 and when you’re sitting
he’s doing more that I don’t ask him to do and that makes a player
Suton. talk about losing both players and how you think the there and can’t do the things you usually do, I think you have a bet-
a player.
team will deal with losing their production and leadership. ter appreciation for it. We all take everything for granted – there’s
Michigan Basketball
ing to let that happen. We’re
Preview
always hunting how to get
JB: He had a great fresh-
NBA scout in the stands for
better.
man year, in my mind. We
practice, would you practice
go to the NCAA tournament
different? I said practice ev-
Beilein keeping players focused for 2009-10
FP: DeShawn Sims really
for a lot of reasons but one of
ery day like there’s an NBA
seems to be a leader for
them was his performance at
scout there, watching your
you, talk a little bit about
By michael Niziolek
got a chance to speak with
Indiana and his performance
attitude and everything.
the leadership the senior
Beilein on Media Day about
at Minnesota that got us into
Then play in the games like
Don’t tell head coach
brings to the team.
the upcoming season.
the tournament.
there is no NBA. This is your
John Beilein that University
JB: It’s a chemistry in
only chance at playing bas-
of Michigan Men’s Basket-
FrontPage: Last year
He’s much more comfort-
the locker room that he’s
ketball and make the most
ball is back just yet. One
Michigan had some big
able now. I think that year
brought, not by being a fire
of it. I think we’ll continue to
NCAA tournament bid has
wins early on in the sched-
and a half off is very difficult,
and brimstone guy but just
work on it all year long so he
fans excited but the coach,
ule against UCLa and
more difficult than people
by being a guy that people
can frame this up the right
entering his third year with
Duke. Maybe you sneaked
think it is. Playing in the Big
like to be around; being a
way.
the Wolverines, isn’t saying
up on those teams a little
Ten as not a true freshman
good teammate. Now he
mission accomplished.
bit. this year you won’t
but a young freshman, as far
FP: and is it a constant
needs to bring a little more
be catching any teams off
as experience, it was an eye
thing? How difficult is it?
Michigan beat four top-
serious side, fire in the lock-
guard, will you?
opener.
JB: I don’t have a tremen-
25 teams (two top-five pro-
er room. I don’t think that will
grams) last season en route
John Beilein: We won’t
come overnight but we’re
FP: Lot of nBa talk sur-
dous amount of experience
to a 21-14 record. This year
sneak up on anybody
working on it.
rounding Manny Harris.
with it but I’ve asked some
they start the season as
(laughs). I don’t think we
When you have a player
people and I also got to go
John Beilein
FP: Laval Lucas-Perry re-
the 15th ranked team in the
had any pre-season predi-
that is a nBa prospect how
with my feel. I’ve been do-
For the first time in 12 seasons
ally seemed to improve
country in both the ESPN/
cations last year of being in
do you go about keeping
ing this a long time and we
Michigan finds itself in the pre-
by the end of the year last
USA Today Coaches poll
the NCAA tournament. Now
that distraction away from
want what’s best for Manny
season polls and expectations
season. How much did he
and the Associated Press
we’re in a situation where
him and the team?
and the program at the same
for Beilein and his team are
improve last year after sit-
time. Somehow that mix has
poll.
we’ll be hunted a little bit
JB: We try to frame it. You
high to get back to the NCAA
ting out after the transfer
more but we’ll keep working
to be there.
Recently, the FrontPage
try to say listen, if there’s an
tourney.
for a full year?
our kids and we’re not go-
The Michigan FrontPage • November 13, 2009 15
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