What Tom Izzo had to say about upcoming Sweet 16 matchup vs. UConn, Dan Hurley
· Yahoo Sports
It's going to take a strong performance from the Spartans if they're going to advance to the Elite Eight, and Spartans head coach Tom Izzo is well aware of that.
No. 3 seed Michigan State will play No. 2 UConn in a heavyweight battle in our nation's capital on Friday night. The winner of this matchup will move on to the Elite Eight on Sunday, while the loser will have their season come to an end.
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On Monday, Izzo met with the local media to preview the Spartans' upcoming matchup against the Huskies -- which he acknowledged is going to be an extremely tough test. Here are some of the highlights and key comments from Izzo's media availability on Monday:
- Izzo acknowledged the Big Ten getting a league record six teams to the Sweet 16 this season, and how it "speaks volumes about the conference" and how the Big Ten is "flexing its muscles."
- Izzo made a joke about the late tip time for Friday's matchup against UConn, joking that some of the media in attendance will have a hard time staying awake for the game.
- Izzo stated that backup point guard Denham Wojcik has a torn labrum in his right shoulder and will need surgery in the offseason. But, he is still able to play through the injury.
- Izzo provided an update on injured guard Divine Ugochukwu, stating his chances of playing are "none and less." He won't play this weekend, but possibly could return for the Final Four if the Spartans were able to advance beyond this weekend.
- Izzo talked about the number of high-level teams in the East Region playing this weekend, comparing it to what you would normally see in the Final Four. "That’s not a regional final. That’s a Final Four," Izzo said.
- Izzo gave praise to UConn's impressive play on the defensive end of the floor, stating the Huskies have consistently been great defensively under head coach Dan Hurley.
- Izzo said the Huskies have a "complex" offense that moves the ball well and added that he's glad they have a few days to prepare for their offensive attack
Tipoff for this week's upcoming Sweet 16 matchup between Michigan State and UConn is scheduled for 9:45 p.m. ET on Friday. The game will be televised on CBS.
Watch Izzo's complete press conference in the video below -- courtesy of SpartanMag:
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: What Tom Izzo had to say about upcoming Sweet 16 matchup vs. UConn, Dan Hurley