Michigan State is in the worst four-year stretch of Tom Izzo's tenure. One Sweet 16, never higher than a 7-seed. Before this, he'd gone four NCAATs without a Final Four once. Double-digit losses in four straight years for the first time. Big offseason coming in East Lansing.
It's lazy to just say "portal" for Izzo. He signed a top-5 class and this was a preseason top-5 team. It had plenty of talent. It just never clicked. But the program hasn't been the same post-COVID, since Winston left, since roster dynamics changed. He needs to figure it out.
@ChrisVannini Still made the tourney every year. More than a lot of teams.
@ChrisVannini Honestly, brighter times ahead. Malik and Walker were dawgs. But Hoggard and Sissoko never reached their potential. Fears and Holloman back court going to be nasty. Add Akins, Carr, and Booker - we’ll be super solid next year even without the freshmen.
@ChrisVannini How does he do in seasons filling elections when all the political crap dies down a bit? It seems like it’s at an all time high.
@ChrisVannini and they had the #1 team in 2020 before the season ended
@ChrisVannini Need to adjust coaching wise. When is the last you have seen an Izzo team make the other opposing guards beat them with full court pressure, three quarters pressure, zone, anything? Maybe in desperate times of the game here and there, but no adjustments. Izzo refuses to do it.