I mean he’s probably right or close to it. And I have no issue with tooting one’s own horn
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I’d just like to note that MSU had the exact same backcourt last year, finished 7th in the conference, have added nobody new except for Tre Holloman and lost the only guy in the backcourt that will play in the NBA.
They are the best backcourt in the Big Ten the same way Indiana is the best team in the Big Ten.
It’s all gross!!!
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Here’s what makes me roll my eyes at Izzo bringing all those guys to media days…
- For football this fall, a sport with 85 scholarships and about 30 walk-ons, two teams brought 4 guys and the rest brought 3. No one brought five.
- Izzo only has 9 scholarship guys, right? So he brought just about everyone.
- Sissoko is likely to start and probably play major minutes but didn’t make the cut. How’s he feeling?
Not really a big deal, but Akins feels out of place. Take the upper classmen who have played a ton of basketball. If you’re going to bring 5 and include Akins, just go all in and bring Brooks and Sissoko. 
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I think it is funny and silly to bring all those guys and one who you barely saw fit to play last year. I also think it is clearly an attempt to make Akins feel loved - something Izzo isn’t always good at. I’m having a chuckle at it.
But I’m not going to knock Izzo for trying whatever he can to hold on to his players and prevent them from leaving. I’m not saying I would have invited Frankie Collins to media day in a futile attempt to keep him around - but I don’t fault Izzo for trying whatever he can to retain his lone potential star.
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Michigan’s breakout session where two guys watch Hunter answer questions is a good example of why teams do that.
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Delighted that all this has distracted folks from the real issue: someone put Chase Audige in front of a mic. I bet he interrupted his teammates constantly.
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So does anyone else want to put their preseason picks out there? We can get a UMHoops consensus
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Portal szn
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- Michigan
- Purdue
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Rutgers
- MSU
7-14. whatever
What an insanely cringy thing to say these days. How is he recruiting well with this mantra?
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I agree that bringing everyone who played last season is unique. It also kind of fits the narrative he’s trying to sit with buying into last year’s team. Not the bet I’d make, but oh well.
I just don’t see much difference between Jaden Akins and Tony Perkins attending, for example.
I certainly don’t think it is some 4-D chess move to keep Akins happier or something.
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Didn’t BQ say this would be the case on the podcast? Also said he wasn’t buying it?
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Doesn’t surprise me cause I really don’t see how Kohler was going to be viable defensively and I don’t see Izzo leaning heavily on that when he can just play Hauser at C if he wants to score.
I bet Sissoko is rebounding well against Kohler and Carson Cooper/Cooper Carson(don’t remember the order of his names). Don’t think it means anything. The fact that Izzo has already proclaimed that CC is not redshirting tells you all you need to know about the C position
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Sad to see star center Mady Sissoko didn’t receive the invite to Media Day
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Rutgers at MSG
While it hasn’t been officially announced by the Big Ten, Izzo confirmed on Wednesday that his team’s Feb. 4 game against Rutgers will be played at Madison Square Garden. The game is slated for noon on Michigan State’s schedule.
Izzo said both he and Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell agreed to play in the venue and that there are some benefits for Rutgers. But for Michigan State, it will mean playing in front of a more neutral crowd and avoiding an arena where his team has lost two straight games.
“The RAC is a tough place to play, but Madison Square Garden is where every player dreams of playing. So I think it’s going to be good both ways,” Izzo said.
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Says the coach who brought two transfers with him to media days. (Who also didn’t seem to moan about Loyer, Kithier, and Watts leaving the program.)
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This is entirely predictable, even without factoring in Izzo. Sissoko is the only candidate with the size or strength to truly be a center. It is magnified in this case because Izzo values defense and rebounding so much. Frankly, I think they need Sissoko to be somewhat viable this year because I don’t think you can go with a small center who can’t play defense all the time. I also have no doubt that he’s way ahead of the two freshmen (not sure how much Izzo sees Hauser as a center) - he darn well better be as a junior!
Now…they probably aren’t calling fouls at those practices. If they were, then maybe Sissoko wouldn’t be so far ahead since he would foul out so often.
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Yeah that’s the thing that even if Sissoko makes the leap to “viable” he still needs to not foul at a ridiculous rate in order to stay on the floor