Izzo Keeps the Bar High as Spartans Roll Past Toledo
Michigan State may have walked off the court with a 92-69 win over Toledo, but if you thought that meant Tom Izzo was satisfied, you haven’t been paying attention over the last three decades. In his 31st season at the helm, Izzo remains as demanding and detail-driven as ever-especially when it comes to the little things that separate good from great.
After a dominant first half and a 30-point cushion for much of the night, Izzo didn’t waste time sugarcoating. Before taking a single question in his postgame press conference, he delivered a blunt opening statement that set the tone.
“Pretty damn good first half. Not elite,” Izzo said.
“If Kohler makes some layups, he has the best half of basketball maybe ever at this program. We continue to miss layups and it’s starting to make me angry.”
That frustration over missed layups wasn’t just a passing comment-it was a theme. Even in a blowout win, Izzo zeroed in on the details that could cost the Spartans down the road. He called out the bigs for not finishing at the rim and noted that this isn’t a new issue-it’s already hurt them in losses.
“That’s the scouting report. But we’re not using the backboards,” he said.
“Jaxson missed two in a row that were point blank. No doubt in the Duke game it cost us.
Almost cost us at Penn State.”
Kur Teng Steps Up
While Izzo’s tone was largely critical, there were a few bright spots-and Kur Teng was one of them. The freshman guard showed off his shooting stroke, knocking down four threes and flashing improved effort on the defensive end.
“Kur played better,” Izzo said. “It’s a musical chairs thing.
He was ready to shoot and made some big-time shots. His defense is getting better.”
Teng’s performance was a welcome sign for a team still trying to find consistent production from its perimeter players. And Izzo made it clear that when guys are ready to step up, they’ll get their shot.
Turnovers and Toughness Still a Concern
Despite the comfortable win, Michigan State finished minus-11 in turnovers-a stat that didn’t sit well with Izzo. He singled out Coen Carr and Xavier Booker, both of whom struggled with ball security, and challenged his frontcourt to play with more physicality.
“When you have Coen get four turnovers, Coop three turnovers, our big guys getting the ball knocked out of their hands-they need to get tougher,” he said. “I was disappointed. They were scrappier than we were.”
That kind of blunt honesty is vintage Izzo. He’s not just coaching for the next game-he’s coaching for the Big Ten grind and beyond. And he knows sloppy possessions and missed layups won’t cut it when the margin for error shrinks.
Jesse McCulloch Makes His Case
One of the under-the-radar performances came from redshirt freshman Jesse McCulloch, who made the most of his minutes with a perfect shooting night, eight rebounds, and four blocks.
“He had some good rebounds and a couple of blocks,” Izzo said. “Eight rebounds is pretty good.”
McCulloch’s emergence could be a valuable boost for a frontcourt that’s still trying to find consistency. And with Cam Christie still working his way back from injury, Izzo made it clear the Spartans need all hands on deck.
“Need to get Cam back to where he was before he was hurt-we need Cam too.”
Fatigue? Not an Excuse
When asked if his players might be feeling the effects of a tough early-season schedule, Izzo wasn’t buying it.
“We have nobody that played that many minutes. Maybe they should get rest that night,” he said.
“They need to do their job and let me do my job. Once the Big Ten starts it’s constant.
If they’re tired, maybe I’ll give them Christmas off.”
Izzo’s message was clear: fatigue might be real, but it’s not an excuse. The Spartans have been through this before, and the expectation is that they’ll be ready-physically and mentally-when the games start to really count.
Halftime Accountability and Leadership
Izzo also pointed to a lackluster second half and took some of the responsibility on himself. But he didn’t stop there-he challenged his captains to step up in the locker room as well.
“My message was that coaches need to be better at halftime, but the captains need to be better too,” he said. “I took the blame, but captains need to get together and figure out why these games are sleeping away.”
That kind of internal accountability has long been a hallmark of Izzo’s best teams. He’s not just looking for leadership from the bench-he wants it on the floor, in the huddle, and in the locker room.
Walk-Ons Get Their Due
As the game wound down, Michigan State’s walk-ons and bench players got some run-and Izzo wasn’t about to let their contributions go unnoticed. He took a moment to defend guys like the Walton twins and Nick Sanders, who often fly under the radar but play a key role behind the scenes.
“You guys have gotten soft,” he said to the media. “I open practice up and you guys only come at the end.
If you came and watched practice, instead of sitting on your phones, those kids can really shoot the ball. Brandon’s been sick and hadn’t practiced until today-then he went and knocked one in.
They’re really important on this team.”
It was a classic Izzo moment-fiery, protective, and full of pride for the guys who grind every day without the spotlight.
Always Chasing More
So yes, Michigan State won by 23. Yes, they dominated the glass and saw flashes of what this team can be. But if you think that’s enough for Tom Izzo, think again.
Because for him, it’s never just about the scoreboard. It’s about habits.
It’s about toughness. It’s about getting better-even when you win by 20-plus.
And if Tuesday night was any indication, the Spartans still have work to do. But under Izzo, they’ll keep chasing it-layup by layup, turnover by turnover, possession by possession.