It was a great day at the office for the resurgent Michigan State basketball team as they hosted Penn State in some Big Ten action, which is rarely an easy night no matter who you play. The Spartans handled the Nittany Lions at home with a final score of 92 to 61.
The MSU defense smothered Penn State all night, and Malik Hall and Tyson Walker both scored over 20. Jaden Akins, A.J. Hoggard and Tre Holloman also added 10 points each.
After the game, Tom Izzo was extremely pleased about the performance and spoke to the media about his squad. You can find the best quotes from that session below.
Tom Izzo 'surprised' with team's play
MSU coach Tom Izzo says he was "surprised" and pleased with how his team played against Penn State.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 5, 2024
Izzo on Mady Sissoko
Izzo says Mady Sissoko did a great job on ball screens, which helped neutralize PSU's guards.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 5, 2024
Izzo on Xavier Booker
Izzo says he was trying to get Booker more reps and build tape on things he needs to do better. "It's not easy. It's not easy on him." Says no issues on offense, improvement needed on defense. "He knows it, and we know it."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 5, 2024
Izzo on Tyson Walker
Izzo on Tyson Walker: "Those steals and what he creates is just amazing."
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 5, 2024
Izzo on Malik Hall
Izzo on Hall: "It does a lot, because now we got an inside-outside" offensive game. Points to the senior's versatility to score both in the paint and on the perimeter.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 5, 2024
